It is estimated that around 840 million people around the world lack access to electricity, and many more lack reliable access. Since reliable electricity access is critical for economic growth and education, increasing generation capacity is a critical development goal. Electricity can be generated from a variety of energy resources such as:

Traditional

• Natural Gas
• Hydropower
• Biomass
• Oil
• Coal

Alternative

• Wind
• Solar
• Geothermal

The Energy Utility Partnership Program (EUPP) is working with our partner countries to increase their ability to develop new generation capacity and maintain the efficient operation of their existing generation units in order to achieve a reliable and sufficient production of electricity. Our work promotes national energy security by diversifying the energy mix of our partner counties through projects such as; integrating renewable generation into existing generation systems; developing generation systems that can adapt over time to incorporate new technologies and fuels; implementing asset management best practices; establishing reverse energy auctions, wholesale markets and power purchase agreements that lower costs and improve generation availability; and more.

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Energy Mix Diversification

Energy mix diversification is the selection of different types of generation capacity so a country or company can balance their use of energy resources. Diversifying the energy mix promotes energy security by ensuring that countries have a number of different ways to meet their electricity needs and their ability to generate electricity is not compromised by the lack of a particular fuel. EUPP is helping countries to diversify their energy mix by adding renewable energy, natural gas, battery storage, and increasing the ability for coal plants to vary their outputs to offset the effects of the intermittent outputs of the added renewable energy sources.

Colombia

India

Uganda

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Flexible Operations

A significant factor in the successful operation of a modern generation fleet is its ability to adapt to the challenges brought on by new technologies, markets and operating practices. The integration of renewable and distributed energy resources (DER) and the trading of energy in wholesale markets will change the way a generation system has to be operated. Utilities must maintain flexibility in their generation operating practices and policies. EUPP is working with utilities around the world to help them adapt their policies, strategies and operational practices so they can successfully cope with these new challenges.

India

System Flexibility for Asia

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Integrating Independent Power Producers (IPPs)

Independent Power Producers (IPPs) are non-utility energy companies that generate power and sell it to utilities and other end users through negotiated power purchase agreements. If IPP’s are to be successfully integrated into the generation sector they must be allowed reasonable tariffs, fair and transparent access to energy markets, and there has to be mechanisms in place to prevent incumbent utilities from having undue influence on the operation of an open and competitive marketplace.

Tanzania

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Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs)

A power purchase agreement (PPA), or electricity power agreement, is a contract between two parties, one which generates electricity and one which is purchasing electricity. PPAs are generally long-term contracts with agreed upon pricing and capacity delivery that reduces future market risks. EUPP provides our partner countries with the skills needed to negotiate and implement PPA’s.

Kenya

Senegal

System Flexibility for Asia

Tanzania

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Natural Gas

Natural gas is the cleanest and fastest growing fossil fuel, contributing almost one-third of total global energy demand growth in the last decade, more than any other fuel. It is one of the safest and most useful energy sources. Natural gas-fired generation is very well suited to deal with the  grid variability caused by the increased use of variable output renewable generation sources. As a result, there has been an increased demand for natural gas generation that is reshaping the global gas industry as countries look to liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports and other sources of natural gas to fuel their plants. EUPP programs share best practices in the development of secure, reliable, and economic sources of natural gas; associated legal, financial, technical and strategic planning; and implementation of best practices and international standards.

Asia Gas Partnership

Tanzania

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Asset Management

Organizations use Asset Management Programs (AMP) to maximize the value of all their assets, including generation plants. AMP’s tell you where assets are located, how they are used, and how they change over time. AMP uses this data and shares with other programs to maximize performance and minimize the cost and risk that an organization takes in obtaining, using, and disposing of an asset. EUPP works with partners on asset management programs to promote efficient operations and maintenance of their generation units.

Uganda

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Hydropower Plant Maintenance and Dam Safety

Hydropower is the world’s largest source of renewable energy generation. It has become more important as its inherent ability to rapidly raise or lower its output power offsets the variability of output associated with the integration of intermittent renewable power systems. The full benefits of hydropower can only be realized when the operation and maintenance of hydropower facilities is systematically administered. EUPP works with partner utilities to improve their in-house capacity for performing operating, maintenance and safety procedures at hydropower plants.

Uganda

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Geothermal

Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source that uses heat from deep inside the earth to generate steam to make electricity. Geothermal energy provides a clean, reliable, baseload source of power with an estimated 15,000 MW of potential geothermal capacity in East Africa. The capture of this abundant geothermal energy source is critical to East Africa’s economic development. EUPP works in East African countries to promote the development of geothermal energy projects under the U.S.-East Africa Geothermal Partnership (EAGP).

Djibouti

EAGP

Ethiopia

Kenya

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Energy Storage Systems

Renewable generation sources, such as wind and solar, are cost effective solutions for adding new generation sources to meet growing energy demands.  However, the variability of their output creates system operation issues that decrease their overall availability which can be greatly improved by the addition of energy storage devices that put energy onto the grid at times when the output from renewable sources are lacking.

Energy storage systems (ESS) are increasingly playing an important role in grid balancing, creating a more flexible and reliable grid system. The most commonly known ESS are battery energy storage systems (BESS) and pumped hydro storage. ESS’s store energy during periods when energy demand is low and there is excess energy produced and put it back into the grid when energy demand is high and normal production is lacking. For example, during the night when energy demand is low, excess electricity generation can be used to pump water up to lakes and stored there and then be released to run hydropower plants when energy demand is high. BESS’s can be used to store solar power during daylight hours and put back onto the grid at night when solar output ceases and also used with wind power to store energy when the wind is blowing and put back on the grid when the wind dies down.       

Central Asia

Colombia

India

System Flexibility for Asia