Activities
ARE develops content and materials that built upon the experience and expertise of our members and for the benefit of rural electrification. These are initiated and coordinated by different Working Groups.
We also represent our members in several events as well as organise our own. Other communications activities include newsletters and social media outreach, targeted especially to decision-makers in the energy field.
Also has built a network of key partnerships which allow us to intervene in the development of global energy policies.
Working Groups
These WGs are coordinated and fully supported by ARE and work to identifying the technological and financial gaps in the rural electrification process in order to generate appropriate answers to fill in these gaps.
Therefore, their objective is to generate a common approach to the challenges faced by the industry in the field of rural electrification.
ARE WGs also help to stimulate the creation of beneficial synergies for all the participants and to innovate in creative and suitable solutions for rural electrification, which contain recommendations for decision makers as well as technical and financial solutions for stakeholders.
- Technological Solutions - Chairman: Michael Wollny (SMA)
- Financing Schemes - Simon Rolland (ARE)
- Policy & Legal Framework - Anjali Shanker (IED)
- Market Studies - Thomas Thillou (Tenesol)
- Reseach - Angèle Reinders (University of Twente)
To learn more about the position of ARE on CSR and our activities/services in that field please click here.
Events
ARE regularly organises and participates in many international events in the renewable energy and the rural electrification fields.
Among others, the Alliance co-organised with EPIA the Photovoltaic Mediterranean Conference (PV Med, around 500 participants) which has imposed itself as a key event for the development of PV in the Mediterranean area.
We also contribute to the European Sustainable Energy Week organised by the European Commission (about 5.000 participants) and we are regular speakers at the UNFCCC's COP Conferences, the biggest International political forum on Climate change.
Currently we are part of the group of stakeholders working with the UN Foundation to coordinate the upcoming International Year for Sustainable Energy for All.
ARE regularly organises smaller events directly related to rural electrification issues (e.g. “Roundtable on PV and developing countries” in Brussels, the workshop “Market potential for off grid PV for rural electrification” at the 23rd EU PVSEC in Valencia, the workshop “Financing rural electrification in developing countries – A two fold perspective: The EU and the renewable energy industry” or the Workshop Hybrid Systems).
Finally, ARE supports and participates in many different events organised by partners, including the meeting of the African Club for Rural Electrification, in Mali or the "10th Africa Energy Forum" in France.
Publications
We regularly develop materials to inform decision-makers in the energy field and the general public about the benefits of the use of renewables in rural electrification in developing countries.
These publications, mainly based on the work of our Working Groups, constitute a premium promotion tool for our members and their activities. In certain case they are only available to our members.
Communications and promotion
A strong communication policy is crucial to pass on key messages, to reach all rural electrification stakeholders and to raise awareness of the challenges and opportunities of rural electrification. Several communications tools and channels are used by the Secretariat to promote the association and to disseminate its messages, strategies and results, including:
Newsletter: Distributed every other month to our general mailing list. It conveys our messages, informs about our ARE activities and promotes our member's and partner's activities and projects. See the previous issues / Subscribe
Media relations: We are in an ongoing conversation with trade and generalist media. See the previous press releases.
Social media & digital communication: With ARE's global objectives, a sharp online outreach is essential. We not only use our website to convey information, but also interact through our social network channels (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube).
Partnerships
Visibility, networking and advocacy… the Alliance works on a daily basis with partner-organisations and key institutions at a global level. They include international organisations, NGOs and leading trade publications.
List of ARE Partners here.