| Commissioning Unit: | Seychelles |
|---|---|
| Evaluation Plan: | 2012-2016 |
| Evaluation Type: | Project |
| Completion Date: | 12/2015 |
| Unit Responsible for providing Management Response: | Seychelles
|
| Documents Related to overall Management Response: |
|
Key Action Update History
Management Response: [Added: 2015/12/10] [Last Updated: 2015/12/10]
Agreed
Key Actions:
Management Response: [Added: 2015/12/10] [Last Updated: 2015/12/10]
Agreed
Key Actions:
Management Response: [Added: 2015/12/10] [Last Updated: 2015/12/10]
The project will provide some support to SEC through the Project Manager, but has spent most of its budget allocation such that it has limited potential to provide additional technical expertise or materials. The sister UNDP-GEF project ongoing for Resource Efficiency is closely linked to the PV project and is already providing additional support to the SEC.
Key Actions:
Management Response: [Added: 2015/12/10]
Agreed. This has been a key role of the Project Manager, who (supported by SEC and the PV installers) has successfully created national awareness of the benefits of adopting PV and to some extent changed the mind-set of some stakeholders, notably PUC, away from a focus on the business of producing and selling energy towards the adoption of energy efficient solutions that benefit the country as a whole. In addition, the project has also created synergies with the Ministry of Finance through the SEEREP Initiative.
Key Actions:
Management Response: [Added: 2015/12/10]
Management agrees that the PV installers have had a major synergistic effect in terms of their own promotion and stimulation of the adoption of PV systems outside of the project framework. The project has had a major impact in creating the enabling environment for the adoption of PV, and promoting the required changes (such as adoption of dual metering systems and feed-in tariff) at the national level, but the installers have undoubtedly actively pursued their agenda with or without recourse to the rebate scheme. Early adopters of PV have in many cases been households of the upper-income brackets who use a lot of energy, thus can easily see the benefits of reducing their use of PUC-generated power due to the differential rates, and have the financial resources to invest in PV systems without needing to go through the rather tedious process of obtaining a rebate. Management agrees that there is still a need to improve the attractiveness of the rebate scheme (make information more accessible and the process of applying for a rebate less time-consuming) and the process of reviewing financial mechanisms and their appeal (particularly referring to SEEREP) is currently underway (under the GOS-UNDP-GEF Resource Efficiency project).
Key Actions:
Management Response: [Added: 2015/12/10]
Management has noted this point and is including these activities within the work plan for the remaining project period, insofar as the remaining budget allows.
Key Actions:
Management Response: [Added: 2015/12/10]
Management appreciates the observation.
Key Actions:
Management Response: [Added: 2015/12/10]
Agreed
Key Actions:
Management Response: [Added: 2015/12/10]
Management agrees that the project should focus on increasing uptake of PV on Praslin and La Digue during the remaining project period. This has in fact already commenced from late 2015, with several awareness-raising events and installation of a demonstration system on La Digue (there is already a demonstration system on Praslin installed under the GEOS-UNDP-GEF CB2 project, and more are to be installed by SEC in early 2016 in collaboration with the current project). In regard to supporting installers on Praslin, this is not possible under the remit of the project, which does not have the mandate to support independent business start-ups (and in any case lacks the funds to do so). UNDP is also discussing with Government for scaling PV to cover the whole of la Digue. The proposal will be developed for submission under the Green Climate Fund.
Key Actions:
Management Response: [Added: 2015/12/10]
This is addressed to MEECC. Management notes, however, that this is a problem that occurs across Government sectors due to the quite limited Government budgetary resources and the many demands on these funds. There is a need for MEECC to discuss with Finance for proper allocation and staffing of SEC. As for PUC, capacity may be at a higher level as this is a parastatal which is composed of hundreds of staff. A review of its functional capacity for the future changing context may be required. This can, however be addressed as part of a national capacity assessment of the various institutions and is outside the scope of this project.
Key Actions:
Management Response: [Added: 2015/12/10]
Agreed.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.a. The National Energy Master Plan is pending funding from the EU and will be implemented by SEC once funding is cleared (this is not included within the current project).
11.b. The Energy Policy has been drafted with MEECC co-financing and is currently under review, expected to be finalized in early 2016.
11.c. Secondary legislation to support the Energy Act is under development: the project will host workshops to present draft technical standards to PV suppliers and to validate the Grid Code
11.d. The main institution identified to deliver capacity building and training (for installers, PUC and SEC) is the Seychelles Institute of Technology (SIT) which has already been capacitated to design and deliver training through project-financed ToT. SIT will develop its curricula accordingly, and the project will provide additional equipment needed for implementation of the training courses.
In terms of market development training, the project will review the recommendations of the international trainer Dr Sean White, to determine if this also needs to be included within the training modules to be developed by SIT.
11.e. The NPA was started by the previous Project Manager but further work needs to be done on analyzing PV production data, with the help of the PV installers. The new Project Manager will support SEC in this. Future monitoring will be undertaken through the retrofitting of automated weather stations to collect irradiation data, at least two of which will be supported by the project and others through NMS, SEC or other co-financing.
[Added: 2015/12/10] [Last Updated: 2016/12/06] |
SEC, PCU, SIT, PM's, PV Installers, Meteorological Services, MEECC | 2016/12 | Completed | A constraint noted by SIT is that the trained trainers have many calls on their time and have not yet been able to allocate time to develop the training curricula. This has now been taken up through additional support from the sister RE project. History |
Management Response: [Added: 2015/12/10]
Agreed. The new Project Manager is in the process of reviewing the uptake of the PV rebate scheme, Additionally, a study of the adoption of the SEEREP is under way through the sister RE project.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12.a. The latter will present recommendations for improving the uptake of financial schemes relative to the demand and market for EE and RE appliances, and to a lesser extent PV.
12.b. A variety of mechanisms will be applied through the project communications strategy to better inform consumers of the financial schemes and their benefits (the communications strategy is currently being revised and will be implemented jointly with the sister RE project). This is now onoing under RE project. no further actions under PV
[Added: 2015/12/10] [Last Updated: 2016/12/11] |
PMs, Consultants, SEC, | 2016/12 | Completed | Communications Strategy review completed by December 2015. Implementation partly supported by the current project until December 2016, thereafter by RE project until December 2018. History |
Management Response: [Added: 2015/12/10]
The process for approving rebates under the financial scheme is time consuming, mostly due to staffing bottlenecks at PUC which can mean long waits for approval and commissioning of the installed system. Another reason reported by clients and suppliers is the complicated terms and conditions for the rebate. Together, these have resulted in many clients not bothering to apply for the rebate (even though this can mean a saving of around $3,000 for a typical residential system).
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13.a. The potential for addressing these issues is being explored by the review of the rebate scheme under the PV project, as well as SEEREP and associated financial mechanisms undertaken through the sister RE project.
13.b. The project is not able to address the issues of staff shortages at SEC and PUC that result in long periods of time elapsing between stages for checking and installing grid connections, etc. This recommendation implies the provision of additional manpower for these institutions and is thus addressed to MEECC.
[Added: 2015/12/10] [Last Updated: 2017/04/25] |
MEECC, UNDP, PM, SEC, Consultants | 2017/01 | Completed | The SEEREP loan and rebate applications are being supported by SEC and processing times have been reduced to 2 days from SEC. The RE project continues to promote awareness on the schemes available. History |
Management Response: [Added: 2015/12/10] [Last Updated: 2015/12/10]
As stated in 13.b. The project is not able to address the issues of staff shortages at SEC and PUC that result in long periods of time elapsing between stages for checking and installing grid connections, etc. This recommendation implies the provision of additional manpower for these institutions and is thus addressed to MEECC.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The potential for certified independent staff (once a nationally accredited PV training course is set up at SIT) or installers to take on roles in checking/connection of the PV systems, and presumably passing on the cost of these additional responsibilities to the customers, is a matter for discussion at MEECC level as it is not clear who would then be responsible for faults, etc. This matter will be taken up with SEC and MEECC
[Added: 2015/12/10] [Last Updated: 2016/08/05] |
MEECC SEC | No due date | Initiated | This has been initiated and will be completed by June 2016 History |
Management Response: [Added: 2015/12/10] [Last Updated: 2015/12/10]
It is not within the mandate of the project to impose a contract on independent suppliers but for the most part, suppliers offer 20-year warranties on PV panels and 5-year warranties on inverters, offering some degree of responsibility
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A set of technical standards for PV are being developed by SEC - which will be presented to installers in 2016 - should ensure the quality of systems being imported into the country. A register of certified PV installers will also be established and periodically reviewed based on specific criteria.
[Added: 2015/12/10] [Last Updated: 2016/11/29] |
SEC, MEECC,PUC | 2016/10 | Completed | A draft set of technical standards has been developed and is in its final stage of being developed. These standards are expected to be presented by 30th of March 2016. History |
Management Response: [Added: 2015/12/10]
Project Manager will follow up co-financing on a quarterly basis. Ministry of Finance has already (since the MTR) made a further payment of SR 3.8 million ($292,000) into the rebate scheme and a private supplier has donated a 5kW ($14,000) installation as a demo to SIT. Follow up on co-financing will be the responsibility of the PM and the PCU. This will be done on a quarterly basis
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarterly reports on co-financing will be prepared and updated with each progress report. This has now been completed and co finance figure for the entire project provided in the TE Report prepared last quarter of 2016 which is above what was planned.
[Added: 2015/12/10] [Last Updated: 2016/12/11] |
PM | 2016/12 | Completed | completed and reported in TE report History |
Management Response: [Added: 2015/12/10]
The project does not have a mandate for supporting business start-ups. Currently, one supplier (Vetivertech) has a person on Praslin promoting PV but the other companies are too small to have a permanent staff member on the smaller islands ? although all companies regularly visit potential clients there as part of their marketing strategies. The island of La Digue is to be promoted by GOS as a global eco-capital, with an aim for the island to be made carbon-neutral by 2020. The island of Praslin will follow. This agenda is to be supported through a GOS application to the Green Climate Fund, building on the current project (as its sister Resource Efficiency project), to be developed with UNDP support in early 2016.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17.a. The project will continue to engage with suppliers in publicising and promoting the adoption of PV on the two islands of Praslin and La Digue during the remaining project period.
17.b. Supplier engagement in these islands will likely intensify as GOS moves towards the implementation of its development strategy for carbon neutrality.
[Added: 2015/12/10] [Last Updated: 2016/12/27] |
SEC, PCU, UNDP-GEF, MEECC, PM | 2016/12 | Completed | all activities completed under the project. all additional awareness activities related to Renewable Energy are now being undertaken under the Resource Efficiency Project History |
Management Response: [Added: 2015/12/10]
Agreed. Cooperation with other initiatives will continue until the end of the project. In late 2015, GOS has requested PCU/UNDP to commence working on a proposal for the GCF related to establishing two inner islands as carbon-neutral, with a focus on scaling-up initiatives under this project and the sister RE project, taking forward new technologies, etc.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18.A. The project (and sister RE project) will continue cooperation with the Clinton Climate Initiative, the Indian Ocean Commission and other agencies concerned with renewable energy in Seychelles.
18.b. PCU/UNDP will start work on developing a new proposal for the GCF
[Added: 2015/12/10] [Last Updated: 2016/12/11] |
MEECC, SEC, PCU, UNDP-GEF, PM | 2016/12 | Completed | The project has indeed acted as a catalyst for the development of further PV uptake in Seychelles. a GCF proposal is now being prepared for submission in early 2017. History |