Abbreviations and Definitions

Applicant – A single for-profit Energy Service Provider (ESP) applying for BGFA1 funding

BGFA – Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa (a funding facility set up and managed by Nefco and implemented in partnership with REEEP as Implementation Manager)

BGFA1  – The first BGFA Call for Proposals targeted at Liberia, Burkina Faso and Zambia.

BGFA2 – The second BGFA Call for Proposals targeted at Mozambique

BGFA3 – The third BGFA Call for Proposals targeted at Uganda

BGFA4 – The fourth BGFA Call for Proposals targeted at the Democratic Republic of the Congo

BGFA5 – The fifth BGFA Call for Proposals targeted at Uganda.

BGFZ – Beyond the Grid Fund for Zambia (a pilot programme initiated by Sweden with REEEP acting as Sweden’s implementing agent)

Concept Note Template – Annex A in the Pre-Qualification Guidelines contains a concept note template, which Applicants/Lead Applicants are requested to fill in online and submit during the Pre-Qualification stage

Consortium Member – A for-profit or non-profit entity forming part of a Project Consortium

Country Programme – BGFA Call for Proposals are organised into currently five different Country Programmes – Burkina Faso, Liberia, Zambia, Mozambique and Uganda

Demonstrable Operational Experience – Applicants’/Lead Applicants’ proven operational off-grid experiences in the Project Country or in other SSA countries

DS – Direct to Scale (Funding Window offered only in Zambia)

ESP – Energy Service Provider

ESS – Energy service subscriptions made by end-customers entering into a contract with an ESP for the provision of energy services

Final Application – BGFA Call for Proposals are divided into two stages: a Pre-Qualification and a Final Application stage (only ESPs successfully passing the Pre-Qualification stage will be invited to take part in the Final Application stage)

Funding Lot – Amount of a certain BGFA Call for Proposals funding available to Energy service Providers (ESPs) for the provision of a specific type or mix of off-grid energy solutions under each Funding Window

Funding Window – Amount of BGFA Call for Proposals funding available to Energy Service Providers (ESPs) either in the form of LS or DS funding

KfW – KfW Development Bank is a donor to BGFA

Lead Applicant – A for-profit ESP company applying for BGFA1 funding on behalf of a Project Consortium

LS – Launch to Scale (Funding Window available in all three eligible Project Countries)

Mini-/Micro-grid – Refers broadly to an isolated or grid-connected power distribution network, including its own renewable generation capacity, load management and control as well as distribution infrastructure, built and operated by a micro ESP utility

Nano-grid – A small solar system that can be deployed on a rent-to-own based model and may be shared between a small number of customers for residential, commercial or institutional use

Nefco – Nordic Environment Finance Corporation, BGFA Facility Manager – has established the BGFA Programme and developed it into a multi-donor programme

NIRAS – BGFA Project Implementation Partner supports on-the-ground monitoring of the BGFA contracted companies, i.e. the energy service providers, including reporting and verification services (MRV), review of implementation progress and milestones reached by the financed projects, supports and coordinates work related to impact evaluations and verification of established energy service subscriptions and provides institutional support in the BGFA countries.

Pre-Qualification – BGFA funding rounds are divided into two stages: a Pre-Qualification and a Final Application stage (only ESPs successfully passing the Pre-Qualification stage will be invited to take part in the Final Application stage)

Project Consortium – A group of for-profit or non-profit entities (led and represented by a for-profit ESP Lead Applicant) that have formed or agreed to form a consortium to apply for BGFA funding and eventually implement the proposed project

Project Country – BGFA funding can only be used to implement projects in the current five project countries Burkina Faso, Liberia, Zambia, Mozambique and Uganda (only these countries are eligible Project Countries)

Project Partner – A for-profit or non-profit entity with a material and meaningful interest in the implementation of the proposed project (e.g. product suppliers; financial service partners; engineering, procurement, and construction service providers; capacity building and training organisations and initiatives; NGOs or similar)

PUE– Productive Use of Energy

REEEP – Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership, BGFA Project Implementation Partner, has been supporting the BGFA programme with market scoping activities, design of funding windows, development work to expand the programme and due diligence reviews of selected projects since the start of the BGFA programme in 2019. REEEP, together with Sweden, developed the BGFZ pilot programme and is acting as Sweden’s implementation agent for BGFZ.

SHS – A solar home system

Sida – Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency

Significant Sub-Contractor – A company or organisation, sub-contracted by an Applicant/Lead Applicant with direct responsibility for implementing and/or operating one or more components of the proposed project representing a minimum of 15% of the awarded BGFA1 funding

SmartME – BGFA1 is organised as an online, fully paperless application process and handled via an electronic intake system called SmartME

SSA – Sub-Saharan Africa

Standalone – Refers broadly to an isolated renewable energy-powered energy service provided to customers and includes a range of products ranging from an SHS to a powered agricultural device and Nano-grids

Tier – Categorisation used to distinguish different levels of energy services by the amount of generated electrical energy, Wh/day combined with peak capacity (W) and availability (h) (latter only relevant to Mini-grids)

USAID – United States Agency for International Development