FTInsight April/May 2016

FT
Insight
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in fostering renewable energy businesses in their chiefdoms. Following that, a roundtable conversation discussed
lessons learned among chiefdoms which have been early adopters of renewable energy. Local private sector
companies attended to showcase the technologies and services they can provide.
This event is the fourth and final meeting leading up the Sierra Leone Energy Revolution launch event on the
10th of May in Freetown. Three previous roundtable meetings were held over the past several weeks to engage
the private sector; Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs); and financial institutions, in discussions about
the obstacles, challenges, and opportunities in running a renewable energy business in Sierra Leone and to
identify incentives and policy shifts that would enable off-grid renewable energy sector growth.
All three roundtables were successful in identifying key challenges and the solutions needed to overcome
them. Some of the major outcomes include: the creation of the Renewable Energy Association, the adoption of
international quality standards and duty free status for qualifying imports.
“We are really happy with the outcomes of the previous
roundtables and we feel conf ident that this event will be a
success. If community leaders can embrace renewable energy in
their communities, we will be on track to provide power for Sierra
Leoneans,” said Patrick Tarawalli, Technical Advisor Ministry of
Energy.
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