Paris, France | 28–31 January 2025

The EMERGE AU-EU Exchange Event, held in Paris from 28 to 31 January 2025, brought together energy experts from Africa and Europe for a four-day program focused on collaboration, hands-on training, and strategic discussions on energy planning and renewable integration. Participants from African EMERGE partners, including AfriLabs, the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), UMP, and UEM, joined members of Artelys to explore advanced tools and share expertise.

The event featured in-depth training sessions on CEPIA and METRIX, two critical tools for energy planning. Participants engaged in interactive workshops designed to introduce CEPIA for energy prospective analysis, applying it to specific sector policies and advanced modeling techniques. The METRIX tool was presented as a resource for operational power grid security, with practical exercises focusing on its application to EMERGE use cases. Discussions also centered on the status of data collection for each demo site and strategies to improve the consistency of power grid information.

A highlight of the event was the visit to a waste-to-energy plant, where participants gained insights into waste valorization processes and the potential of recovered energy in heating and electricity production. This visit provided a tangible example of integrating sustainable energy solutions into urban infrastructure planning.

Following the event, participants have been tasked with further developing their CEPIA and METRIX applications. Teams from UEM, UMP, AfriLabs, and ECREEE will refine their CEPIA models, documenting key assumptions and outcomes. Parallelly, efforts will continue to compile comprehensive power grid data for METRIX, with additional meetings planned to ensure progress and alignment with project objectives.

The EMERGE AU-EU Exchange has reinforced cooperation between African and European stakeholders in the energy sector, equipping participants with practical skills and fostering long-term collaboration. By strengthening AU-EU efforts in sustainable energy planning, innovation, and policy development, the initiative sets the stage for meaningful advancements in the field.

All materials used during the event, including presentations and training resources, are available in the shared repository for reference. Updates on further developments and insights from the EMERGE project will be shared in due course.