Since its creation in 1990, the Fondation Energies pour le Monde has got a worldwide experience in the elaboration and implementation of Decentralised Rural Electrification programs using renewable energies. The Fondation is a non-governmental organisation, supported by both public and private partners and it obtained state approval.
The Fondation’s goal is to promote the access to electricity in rural areas. Its aims to:
• improve living conditions of rural population,
• meet the need of electricity of families, respecting the local practices,
• favour technologies that respect the environment,
• ensure the sustainability of the actions undertaken, by calling on the participation of local partners, by training persons on site and by seeking local payment of all operating costs,
• communicate about feed-backs and experiences.

The Fondation has a long experience in Lower Mekong countries: 15-year experience working in Vietnam, a 8-year experience in Cambodia and Laos.
For the implementation of each of its program, the Fondation has conducted feasibility studies and context analysis. This experience has allowed the Fondation to develop a strong experience of DRE programs elaboration regarding technical, organisational and financial aspects of energy offer and regarding engineering procedure and analysis of risks and limits.
The Fondation always works in close cooperation with local energy decision makers and conducts workshop for capacity building of its local partners during the implementation of its program.
The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) conducts research on the technology needed to supply energy efficiently and on an environmentally sound basis in industrialised and developing countries. In the team "Off-Grid Power Supplies" numerous small PV appliances, PV Hybrid energy supplies for remote houses and villages as well as components for such systems like inverters or charge regulators have been developed and transferred to industry and field applications. The team includes an interdisciplinary group of technical, social, economic and marketing experts in particular covering non-technical aspects of rural electrification. The strength lies in the combination of knowledge gained during more than twenty years of applied research and development all over the world, and practical experience obtained on site. Main areas of expertise in the group Off-Grid Power Supplies lies within rural electrification, water purification and desalination, storage batteries and electronics. At the same time to group offers training and consulting services to interested stakeholders at all levels.

Presentation leaflet: ISE leaflet.pdf
 

The Centre wallon de Recherches agronomiques (Walloon Agricultural Research Centre; CRA-W) is a public research centre established in 1872. Since 2002, it is part of the Ministry of the Walloon Region and became an organisation of public interest. The CRA-W currently has a workforce of about 500, including 100 senior researchers shared out between 9 Departments.

The Agricultural Engineering Department carries out since the early eighties user-oriented applied research and development activities such as technology development, technical & economic analyses, market development activities on bioenergy and other rural renewable energy technologies. Its overall aim is to contribute to the socio-economic development and to a healthier environment by using renewable energy sources as biomass.

Since the early nineties, the Agricultural Engineering Department carries out international projects related to renewable energy development in Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America. These activities are funded by the EC (e.g. DG Research FPs, Thermie, Altener, Coopener Programmes, AidCo programmes such as EC-ASEAN Energy Facility, etc.), international donors (such as FAO or the World Bank), private sector (industrials, consultancy) and international co-operation agencies.

The tasks of CRA-W in the field of renewables comprise technical assistance, technology development, technical & financial feasibility studies, market development studies, environmental impact assessment, as well as dealing with RE policies with relevant national administrations. CRA-W has initiated and developed the EC-funded COGEN Programme which aims on the one hand, at developing in Southeast Asia the energy use of biomass and, on the other hand, at encouraging European manufacturers to invest in this part of the world which has a high economic potential.

The research and development activities of the Agricultural Engineering Department are completed in collaboration with a network of public as well as private international organisations and concerns.
  The Department of Energy Technique or the Minsitry or Industry, Mines and Energy is responsible for renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy-related standards in Cambodia. The responsibility of rural electrification is shared between the DET and the Department of Energy Planning. The DET has a wide knowledge of Cambodian on-site information about renewable energies and rural electrification. It takes part in the implementation of programs to reach the goal set up by the Government of 90 % of rural electrification by 2030.
  The Department of Electricity of the Ministry or Energy and Mines is in charge of the development of access to electricity in all Laos. It also handles the access to electricity in rural and remote areas of the country through Rural Electrification Division (RED) created in 1999. This division is responsible for the coordination of DRE development and for the rural electrification planning. It has carried on a wide-range socio-economic study on the national level concerning rural electrification. The RED has established a Maintenance Fund and is training technicians for the infrastructure’s operation.
  The Renewable Energy and Rural Development centre is nationally recognised as the most active Vietnamese organisation in the renewable energy sector as it includes the main renowned Vietnamese experts in renewable energy field of South Vietnam into a single organisation. Since 1989 RERD, through its commitment within SOLARLAB and other organisms, has designed and managed many Asian and national projects concerning rural electrification. RERD works in close cooperation with the Fondation since 1990. RERD has a very strong relationship with Vietnamese energy stakeholders and a good knowledge of Vietnamese energy sector.