3E and DTU are working together to support the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) projects in Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Nepal and Ethiopia. The ESMAP project, funded by the World Bank, is a global knowledge and technical assistance program funded by the World Bank. Its mission is to assist low- and middle-income countries to increase know-how and institutional capacity to achieve environmentally sustainable energy solutions for poverty reduction and economic growth. In these 4 countries, ESMAP aims at providing tools for governments to develop policies and strategies for wind energy. Similar ESMAP projects are also ongoing in Zambia, Tanzania and the Maldives.
As part of Phase I of the project, DTU created the preliminary wind atlases and both companies also delivered workshops for governmental stakeholders and decision makers in each country, covering the purely technical aspects of wind mapping and bankable yield assessment, but also wind energy policy essentials.
Phase II consists in the installation of approximately 40x80m met masts across these 4 countries, in order to validate the preliminary wind atlases, and measurements will take place for 2 years. 3E is managing these campaigns, from design to measurement validation, and is working with local contractors to build, install and maintain these masts, as well as obtaining the required authorizations. 2016 will be a major milestone, with most of the 40 masts being erected and commissioned. The final stage involves creating a redefined and validated meso-micro wind atlas for each country, combining both the DTU models and the 3E measurements.
Luc Dewilde, Senior Project Manager at 3E says: “The first mast will soon be operational in Pakistan, and the 4 projects are progressing well. Installing met masts in remote locations such as Papua New Guinea or Nepal is certainly not easy, and selecting the right local partners is the key for success. We are delighted to work for the World Bank and are convinced that the ESMAP program is of great benefit for these countries, and private investors and developers already show a lot of interest.”