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As WISIONS enters its fifth year, the current threat of climate change and scarcity of fossil fuel show that innovative concepts and good examples of sustainable energy use are essential and urgently needed for future decades. Many good projects, technologies and operations do exist. Despite this, particularly in developing countries and emerging economies, widespread implementation and technology transfer often fail due to economic, administrative and financial barriers.
Within SEPS fifth round, WISIONS is trying to overcome some of these barriers, to support small-scale projects and to fill the gaps in knowledge transfer. The call for applications had been closed (deadline 22nd August 2008) and the validation process started.
SEPS
Within the SEPS initiative - Sustainable Energy Project Support – WISIONS supports innovative and feasible projects that are ready for implementation and have the potential for replication.
SEPS projects so far...
To date, WISIONS has launched four annual calls for SEPS applications. Following its successful conception in 2004, SEPS has become well-established as a supporting scheme for sound sustainable energy projects. For the third round of applications, in 2006, the total annual grant fund was increased to €500,000. In 2007 we received a record number of 180 applications, of which 12 are currently receiving SEPS financial support.
In total since 2004, 37 SEPS projects have been selected for support, covering a broad array of innovative sustainable energy solutions in more than 25 countries (see brief descriptions).
Read more about the Background of SEPS, Objectives, provided Activities&Benefits and the Criteria that have to be fulfilled by submitting applications.
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 African Biofuels Centre
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Background
The need for Sustainable Energy Project Support
Energy is essential, be it for cooking, lighting, or industrial application. However, people have yet to learn how best to use natural resources. Sustainable development depends on efficient use of resources, and specifically on a widespread use of clean and renewable energy.
Broad use of fossil fuels threatens climate and health because of dangerous emissions, leading to high social and economic costs. Further, today there are still more than 2 billion people who do not have access to sufficient energy.
As global population rises and the world economy continues to grow unevenly, challenges will also increase. This will be particularly the case if we simply continue or copy conventional approaches.
Therefore intelligent, sustainable energy projects of strategic global importance need to be implemented and promoted.
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Objectives
SEPS objectives
Realistic visions and concepts of effective projects for sustainable energy exist, but much needed implementation sometimes fails. SEPS has the key objective of identifying those projects with the real potential to be of strategic importance in renewable and efficient use of energy.
By providing technical and other forms of support, SEPS seeks to overcome the barriers and will help clean and efficient energy become commonplace.
Projects supported must be innovative, sustainable and can be replicated in other parts of the world. They have to be in a state ready for implementation and a well-developed implementation strategy must exist.
Projects supported
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must be innovative; not exclusively in a technical sense, but possibly innovative in their approach, for the country or in the model
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must be sustainable; consequently they must be environmentally, economically and socially sound |
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must have a clear integrated approach |
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and should be easy to replicate. |
They also have to ready for implementation and a well-developed implementation strategy must exist. (see criteria)
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 Ökozentrum Langenbruck
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| Activities & Benefits
The most promising renewable and energy efficiency concepts will be selected using transparent analysis based on internationally recognised criteria. Once a project is selected, SEPS can provide additional guidance and support, for example:
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Potential financial support to assist with project implementation for around one year
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Promotion to relevant institutions, decision makers and scientists
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Knowledge transfer for effective implementation and if possible practical expert advice
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Publication on www.wisions.net
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Total grant amount: 500 000 EUR
(across all projects)
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| Criteria
Criteria for obtaining SEPS support
SEPS has a set of criteria used in selecting appropriate sustainable projects and relevant forms of support. The following 5 criteria are obigatory:
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TECHNICAL VIABILITY
The project must be technically feasible to implement. Therefore, technological know-how is essential (either within the project team or from an external source), as well as appropriate local capacity for maintenance and operation.
It must be possible to implement the project within a short time period (around one year).
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ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY
Innovative projects often lack initial funding, especially in the case of renewable energy technologies or energy efficient approaches that do not yet attract subsidies. Despite this, the proposal must put forward an economically feasible project (i.e. a project that will continue self-sufficiently after an initial period of investment, or a project that has the potential for self-financing replication in the future).
SEPS cannot offer long-term support. It is important, therefore, to identify the obstacles that have impeded the fulfilment of the project to date and to pinpoint what type of short-term support could guarantee the feasibility of the project. Additional funding sources are welcomed and will be viewed positively.
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LOCAL and GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
SEPS supports renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Consequently, it focuses primarily on the reduction of fossil primary energy consumption and CO2 emissions. For the calculation of these figures, we ask you to apply the Environmental Performance Calculation Procedure. Please note the outlined examples, they may be helpful.
We also take into account additional local and/or global environmental benefits, together with any negative environmental side effects of the project. Accordingly, aspects such as the use of resources, water consumption and pollution, interference with food supply, intervention in nature and landscape or land consumption are also issues to be addressed.
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REPLICABILITY and MARKETABILITY
The project should be easy to replicate or have clear potential benefits for projects in other areas. Existing production or supply structures, as well as a high level of interest amongst the local population and general public, are advantageous.
Therefore, identifying potential supply and demand options, together with their probable benefits, is important. Consequently, a favourable cost-benefit relationship is an important criterion.
In addition, a concept for the wider dissemination of the project will be viewed favourably.
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OBLIGATORY CRITERION: IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY
The project must have a sound and comprehensive concept, be in an advanced phase of development and be ready for implementation.
Of crucial importance for projects in the pre-implementation phase is the quality and detail of the implementation strategy. What steps have you planned? What kind of support do you still need? What are the costs or additional costs? Who are the partners involved? The more advanced and detailed your strategy is, the better we can assess your needs for project support.
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| Additional Criteria
As the goal of sustainable development requires an integrated approach, some additional criteria are also applicable:
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Social aspects
such as gender issues and poverty reduction
If the project addresses the life of women where they are disadvantaged or burdened because of their sex, a potential positive contribution could mean support for your project.
WISIONS understands poverty in an integrated not merely economic way that focuses on serving the basic needs of the poor (such as providing or improving water supply, cooking facilities, etc.). Therefore, if the project has made a proven positive contribution to poverty reduction, this might be an additional argument in favour of the project.
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Inclusion of local population/structures
The inclusion of the local population and structures in your project could help address essential problems and thus improve the practical relevance of the project. In addition, potential support to capacity-building may be considered of good value.
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Employment potential
Employment potential generated through a possible extension of the project may create economic impetus and thus help integrate ecological and economic objectives which are crucial for fostering sustainable development. Securing existing jobs or the creation of new production capacity may also make your project more eligible for support.
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Co-operation with other stake-holders
Existing contacts to other stake-holders may help multiply the project and its positive impacts.
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But please note the following restriction:
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SEPS support
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excludes product development and product launches |
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excludes research studies |
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excludes large-scale hydro-power |
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excludes nuclear power |
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Application Form
Please download the new version of the SEPS application form.
Please note that the application form has been updated, only proposals using the new application form will be accepted.
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