17 November 2015
View Webinar Content
Presentation—Introduction to the webinar and panelists
Presentation—United Nations Foundation Energy Access Practitioner Network
Presentation—Catalogue of Mini-Grid Tools
Presentation—HOMER Energy
Presentation—Mini-Grid Builder
Transcript—Webinar audio transcript
The Clean Energy Solutions Center, in partnership with the United Nations Foundation’s Energy Access Practitioner Network hosted this webinar on mini-grids tools and resources that can be useful for practitioners during the planning, design and operation of mini-grid projects.
The webinar featured presentations by GIZ, HOMER and the UN Foundation to showcase a catalogue of tools relevant for mini-grid practitioners, and panelists and participants discussed select tools and their uses in detail.
The webinar was a contribution to the Sustainable Energy for All High Impact Opportunity on Clean Energy Mini-grids initiative. Speakers in webinar covered the following topics:
- Tripta Singh, Director, Energy Access, UN Foundation will provide a brief overview of the Energy Access Practitioner Network and the Sustainable Energy for All High Impact Opportunity on Clean Energy Mini-grids initiative.
- Bozhil Kondev, Energy Advisor, GIZ will present a catalogue of mini-grid tools.
- Peter Lilienthal, CEO, HOMER, will discuss the HOMER software and how it can be used to simplify the task of designing hybrid renewable microgrids.
- Pierre Telep, Programme Advisor, GIZ will present a free web-based mini-grid tool called Mini-grid Builder developed by GIZ in Kenya.
Panelists
Tripta Singh, Director for Energy Access, UN Foundation
Tripta Singh is the Director for Energy Access at the UN Foundation. She has more than 12 years of experience working on international development and renewable energy and climate related issues. In her current role, Tripta leads the Energy Access Practitioner Network’s activities on mini-grids and manages its engagement in Asia. Prior to joining the Foundation, she worked at World Neighbors where she helped manage community health and environment programs in several developing countries. Tripta has an M.Phil degree in Geography from the Delhi School of Economics and a Master's degree in international affairs with a focus on environmental policy from Ohio University.
Peter Lilienthal, President/CEO, HOMER Energy
Dr. Peter Lilienthal is the President/CEO of HOMER Energy. Since 1993, he has been the developer of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s HOMER hybrid power optimization software, which has been used by over 135,000 energy practitioners in 193 countries. NREL has licensed HOMER Energy to be their sole worldwide commercialization licensee for distributing and enhancing the HOMER model. Dr. Lilienthal was the Senior Economist with the International Programs Office at NREL from 1990 - 2007. He has a Ph.D. in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University. He has been active in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency since 1978. This has included designing and teaching courses at the university level, project development of independent power projects, and consulting to industry and regulators. His technical expertise is in utility modeling and the economic and financial analysis of renewable and micro-grid projects. He was the lead analyst and one of the creators of NREL’s International and Village Power Programs.
Bozhil Kondev, Energy Advisor, GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH)
Bozhil Kondev is an energy advisor at GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH) in Germany. His responsibilities include strategic and technical advisory to a portfolio of GIZ projects on rural electrification in Africa and Asia. He is also involved in the liaison with partners and international initiatives. Prior to moving to Germany, Bozhil spent 3 years working in a regional project of GIZ in East Africa with a focus on market development for various renewable energy technologies. His previous experiences include positions in research institutions, renewable energy consulting and solar PV manufacturing. Bozhil holds a M.Sc. in Environmental Sciences and Policy from the Central European University in Hungary and the University of Manchester, UK. He speaks Bulgarian, English, German, Spanish and Russian.
Pierre Telep, Energy Advisor, GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH)
Pierre Telep has more than 10 years of global experience in the energy sector, including operational leadership of energy organizations. He has worked across the energy supply chain, including development and engineering for generation and distribution businesses. He brings cross-cutting credentials at the crossroads between utilities; EPC in the energy sector, new technologies, and development organizations. He currently works for GIZ, advising the Government of Kenya on energy maters on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for International Cooperation. Pierre holds a Master of Engineering from Ecole des Mines in France.
The presentations will be followed by an interactive question and answer session with the audience.