Solar energy and Youth Job opportunities assessment/study

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR CONSULTANCY

Title of the Study: Private sector engagement analysis in electricity/Solar energy, and youth job opportunities

Duration: 1.5 Months (5 July – 20 August 2018)

Location: West Bank, Palestine

Deadline:                                  27th June 2018

Introduction

DCA and NCA have both been active in the Palestinian areas since the early 1950’s, and started their engagement in the region with relief to the Palestinian refugees on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. Both organizations have been working closely together. In March 2015, a decision was taken to develop a DCA-NCA Joint Country Programme (JCP) in Palestine. The Joint Country Program Office supports partners under four thematic areas of Active Citizenship, Economic empowerment, Humanitarian Emergency, and international advocacy.  

The Economic empowerment theme is a combination of NCA's Economic Empowerment program and DCA's Right to Food program. The thematic area will aim at addressing the livelihood protection, participation and equity deficits of vulnerable Palestinian groups, communities and individuals through supporting their coping and livelihood strategies and diversifying income earning opportunities, with a specific focus on mainly unemployed women, youth and affected communities. Interventions under this theme will also seek to address the constraints to equitable access to services and natural resources but also basic education, markets, wages, land, water, electricity, and agriculture faced by vulnerable groups.

Purpose of the Assessment/Study

The purpose of this Assessment is conduct an analysis of the private sector in electricity/solar energy, and Job opportunities in the labor market. The assessment should link these two areas with the work we do, and identify opportunities for engagement with the private sector.

The analysis should establish reliable and relevant market information that indicates which particular factors are suitable for the development of vocational training and skills development, by indicating which economic factors would influence the processes of the project activities. The factors established will be suitable for the vocational training students and graduates. All these factors and processes should lead to achievement of market success, profitability and sustainability of the income for skilled graduates.

Objective

The main objective of the market assessment is to identify the local and international opportunities for engagement with the private sector that would influence the program interventions.  

Solar energy and Youth Job opportunities assessment/study:

The analysis will cover all parts of the solar energy, and youth Job opportunities sectors, i.e. from suppliers (equipment and service), skills providers (vocational education), consumers/communities using solar energy, and Electricity Company in Palestine.  The assessment should consider a pro-poor approach with a focus on inclusivity.

The focus of the analysis will mainly be on the following selected parts of the value:

• Sourcing (e.g. solar energy model used in Palestine; community access to solar energy, that includes legal constraints on installing solar panels in some communities, what type of solar panels will work, and provide efficiency, etc).
• Collection and storage of energy (on/off GRID).
• The job opportunity for skilled labor in the sector.
• General overview on the renewable energy in Palestine.

Further analysis of the “gaps” in other parts of solar market to be explored, where relevant and feasible.

Key tasks for the Consultancy:

1. Analyse the factors for engagement our partners with private sector.  
2. Analyse the commercial viability of the solar energy market, both from a short-term and long-term perspective.
3. Establish the viability of the relevant solar energy system technologies available within reach of the communities, including expected costs associated with investments in hard ware.
4. Assess the demand for skilled labor and services related to solar energy that could be an outcome for the program activities.
5. Explore links to relevant solar energy companies/individuals that provide service that are relevant.
6. Explore potential investments into proposed engagement with the private sector.

Expected results

The consultant is expected to devise appropriate method for the task. However, he/ she is expected to be sensitive to the role of women and youth as explicit focus areas in the program, as well as the context specific situation.

Stakeholder engagement:

The consultant is expected to engage with the following stakeholders as a basis for the analysis:

• DCA-NCA partners.
• JDECO.
• Solar energy providers/companies
• Other private sector bodies.

All stakeholder engagement should be closely coordinated with DCA- NCA Joint Country Office, and the analysis should be conducted in the close dialogue with the business partners to seek alignment and added value to the whole assessment.

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