On 30 and 31 July 2012, NEPAD will host the Bioenergy Investment Symposium for the SADC Region in Sandton.

Bioenergy, which is defined as ‘useful, renewable energy produced from organic matter (biomass)’, has been hailed as the renewable, sustainable energy of the future. The aim of next week’s NEPAD symposium is to establish a world-class bioenergy investment incubator for Southern Africa. It is moreover indicative of the organisation’s serious intent to create a framework and platform for the member countries of SADC to participate in this burgeoning new industry.

Symposium chairman and executive chairman of Ireland’s Coolfin Partnership, Gavin Maxwell, is an avid supporter of this goal. In his own words: “We all recognise the opportunity that Africa has to be a leader in the supply of biomass and bioenergy products, but this will not happen without support for innovation and appropriate public and private funding mechanisms. We hope that this benchmark symposium will be the catalyst for both.”

To aid NEPAD’s investment incubator objectives, Coolfin has assisted in bringing together some of the leading developers and investors from the bioenergy community.

During the morning session of day one, issues on the agenda are primarily financial and investment-related. Mr. Maxwell will kickstart the session with a look at opportunities for biofuels and biomass power in the context of Southern Africa. He will ask the tough questions, like: are new funding models and methods required for bioenergy; how can we measure the ‘Risk Gap’ in bioenergy and biomass projects; and can we develop joint public, institutional and private equity investments?

His presentation will be followed by speakers from local and international financial institutions, who will address delegates on topics that include the ‘status of trans-national investment and bottlenecks for capital deployment’, and answer questions like ‘what are the asset-funding criteria for bioenergy and power in Africa?’

The afternoon session will be further given over to the inspection of investment opportunities and issues, a look at key policy and certification drivers to prioritise and aid bioenergy investment and to developing partnerships between European and African bioenergy companies.

The focus of the morning session of day two will turn to projects on the ground and the floor will be given over to selected bioenergy and renewable project developers from Southern Africa, to present their business case or pitch for investment or partner cooperation. After hearing these presentations, the professional and investment panels will review how the projects can be best assisted to achieve their goals and financial needs.

The afternoon session will commence with an inter-regional policy panel session by SADC government and agency delegates, examining PFI and PPE mechanisms to enable technology transfers and licensing agreements to accelerate or enhance African bioenergy investment projects.

During this session, Maxwell’s expertise will be brought to bear upon consolidating the issues and the shared goals of private industry, public agencies and financial institutions that would by then have emerged from the symposium. He will further seek to identify potential regulatory and policy environment changes that might be needed to encourage increased private investment in bioenergy projects. NEPAD will then, in turn, be called upon to suggest how these matters might be applied to align with the broader trading needs of and to support GDP growth across the SADC region.

The balance of the afternoon will then be given over to the financial panel and the NEPAD and SADC regional technical delegates to determine the mechanisms of the incubator facility, the level of funding required and its distribution and follow-up actions for the formation of a Bioenergy Enterprise & Investment Incubator and the development of the proposed Bioenergy Enterprise Development and Incubation Fund.

Finally, the symposium will conclude with Maxwell and Dr Ibrahim Mayaki, the CEO of NEPAD, looking at the way forward and summarising the conditions that will support investment in Africa.

In the contexts of both a post-recessionary world economy and increasing global demand for renewable, sustainable energy sources, the successful development of a thriving biomass and bioenergy industry in Southern Africa would at once be a catalyst for economic recovery for the region, and serve to establish the region as a major global force in the supply of biomass and bioenergy.

For more information on the event email: stephanie@tradeprojects.co.za or call 011 869 9153.