On 27-28 November 2024, the EMERGE project held its General Assembly at Université Mohammed Premier (UMP) in Oujda, Morocco, in a hybrid format event. This crucial gathering united project partners from 11 organizations across Europe (Austria, France, Italy, Spain, Croatia) and Africa (Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Cape Verde) to evaluate progress and plan future initiatives aimed at advancing sustainable energy development throughout Africa.

Day 1 Highlights

• Work Package 2 (WP2): BRAINIT presented on the creation and implementation of the EMERGE Common System Architecture (CSA) and database, highlighting current progress and soliciting additional inputs from partners.
• Knowledge Base Implementation: CARTIF discussed the deployment and operation of the EMERGE Knowledge Base, emphasizing its role in consolidating project data and resources.
• Sister Projects Presentation: Representatives from KTH and SINTEF provided insights into related projects, RE-Integrate and OpenMod4Africa, fostering knowledge exchange and potential collaboration.
• Work Package 3 (WP3): UMP offered an overview of the toolbox development status, followed by detailed presentations from CIRCE, Artelys, and UNIZAG FSB on individual tool advancements.

Day 2 Highlights

• Work Package 4 (WP4): AfriLabs led discussions on the co-design of user engagement strategies for capacity building, detailing plans for the EMERGE Research & Innovation and Policy Laboratory, including tool training sessions and site visits within Africa.
• Work Package 5 (WP5): EnGreen coordinated presentations on the demonstration and validation of EMERGE solutions, with UMP, ECREEE, and UEM introducing their respective demo sites, outlining current statuses, available infrastructure, and anticipated outcomes.
• Work Package 6 (WP6): ESEIA addressed dissemination, exploitation, and impact creation activities, focusing on communication strategies, networking, impact analysis, and exploitation management.
• Work Package 7 (WP7): UNIZAG FSB provided an overview of project management, covering financial and administrative aspects, monitoring, and reporting procedures.

The assembly concluded with a discussion on open issues, next steps, and a review of responsibilities and deliverables. Participants then visited the integrated combined cycle solar thermal plant of Ain Beni Mathar, gaining practical insights into renewable energy applications in Morocco.

This General Assembly reinforced EMERGE’s commitment to empowering African policymakers, academics, investors, and communities with the tools and knowledge essential for increasing clean energy production and sustainable resource management. The collaborative efforts during these sessions are set to significantly advance the project’s objectives and contribute to Africa’s clean energy transition.