Consulting Services, Feasibility Study: “Skills for a Green and Just Energy Transition (Skills4JET)”

Brief description of the Contract:

The project concerns the elaboration of a Feasibility Study (FS) assessing and preparing measures for expanding the capacities for skills development in Renewable Energies (RE) in South Africa. The purpose of the project is to support South Africa’s Just Energy Transition (JET) process through the promotion of artisanal skills in RE and at the same time seizing employment and income opportunities for a social and inclusive development.

The FS-Team shall provide consulting services and expertise to elaborate the following scope of work:
- Problem and sector analysis for skills development in renewable energy technologies in South Africa
- Architectural and engineering services for infrastructure measures at the SARETEC campus, as well as other infrastructure measures at TVET colleges, the Mpumalanga training centers and others entailing, among others:
o planned extension of training facility by classrooms, laboratories, and workshops.
o verification of existing extension plans, and assessment of complementary infrastructure and equipment needs (e.g., for a training program on battery storage and green hydrogen)
o carry out a structural assessment and if necessary, designs (of existing foundations for erecting a wind turbine tower and rooftops for PV installations)
o Assessment for PV rooftop installations, with potential involvement of students, as part of their on-the-job training (e.g., PV system design and planning, mounting, installation, safety measures on the roof) as well as external professionals (e.g., for providing quality assurance and to certify and register the PV system with the municipality).
- Development and adjustment of the program implementation concept:
o Review the proposed training methods and projects in RE by all stakeholders,
o Demand analysis of the target group including target group structures such as social and gender equity, people with disabilities.
o Confirm the expected investment needs, cost analysis of the first phase and conceptualize budget scenarios for future funding phases,
o Assess potential funding gaps and identify financing partners and / or funding solutions,
o Review the overarching viability of the current business models, and
o Organizational analysis of the project executing agency and all stakeholders involved.
o Elaborate the impact matrix for the proposed works and options.
- Analyze the technician’s programs of seven TVET colleges; Standardize relevant processes and documentation to enable smoothened future roll-out of the technician’s program.
- Coordinate with stakeholders and partners
- Identify funding gaps and co-funding opportunities with other development partners.
- Screen the environmental and social aspects:
o Screening national and international standards related framework as well as a review and amendment of the short high level GAP analysis, comparing the applicable South African regulatory requirements with the relevant international standards and guidelines (specially KfW Guidelines)
o Identify potential environmental and social risk and mitigation measures
o Stakeholder analysis of all relevant institutions regarding the environmental and social safeguards