REPIC Platform Basic Information
REPIC is a joint initiative of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) and the Federal Office for Energy (SFOE) for the promotion of renewable energy, energy and resource efficiency in international cooperation. The REPIC platform makes an important contribution to the implementation of a coherent Swiss policy and strategy in these fields.
Based on the REPIC platform’s mission, the specific objectives, activities and expected results are as follows: Promotion and implementation of projects; Network, Information and Communication; Coordination and quality assurance.
The abbreviation “REPIC” stands for “Renewable Energy, Energy and Resource Efficiency Promotion in International Cooperation”.
REPIC is a market-driven competence center for the promotion of renewable energy, energy and resource efficiency in international cooperation. This platform makes new projects possible in these fields with increased participation of Swiss companies and organizations.
The platform constitutes an information and awareness network, supports the exchange of experiences among different stakeholders and promotes understanding of local framework conditions, as well as opportunities for projects. Thanks to financial contributions, the platform is contributing to the realization of promising projects. Additionally, participation in international networks is strengthened through the REPIC platform.
The platform’s activities are defined by a Steering Group, representing the four federal offices and are put into practice by a management agency.
Project Development
REPIC’s financial contributions are primarily intended as complementary measures for the quality assurance of proposals, for the reduction of project transaction costs in the international context and as seed funding for larger projects.
As a general rule, REPIC’s financial contribution is a maximum of 50% of the project costs. At least 50% of the project costs must be provided by own contributions and /or through third party means.
As an order of magnitude, and depending on the type of project, the contributions for the REPIC Pilot instrument can vary between CHF 50 000 for smaller /simple projects and a maximum of CHF 150 000 for larger / complex projects. For the REPIC Rollout Instrument, larger/more complex projects can apply for up to CHF 500,000.
Measures provided by the REPIC platform are subsidiary to existing national and international promotional instruments, and therefore, seek to support them; particularly in the financing area.
Duplicate contributions from the Swiss Confederation, particularly from the SDC, SECO, FOEN and SFOE, are generally not accepted.
Public funds from other countries or multilateral programmes and instruments (mixed credits, World Bank, IFC, GEF, etc.) or instruments for climate protection (Kyoto mechanisms) can be part of the financing.
In general, by the time the applicants have contacted the REPIC platform, the project plan is already developed with a well-structured organization.
If some uncertainties still exist, the platform can give advice to applicants. Project development itself is not part of the platform’s responsibilities.
It is advisable to contact potential partners you may find among the interesting projects under Ongoing Projects and Completed Projects.
Selection Criteria
The REPIC platform’s activities and projects are based on the principle of local anchoring in target countries and are primarily aimed at having a lasting effect. Thus, the local context, partnerships with local stakeholders, as well as the demand-oriented approaches have an important meaning. The notion of participation of the local stakeholders (“ownership”) also plays a central role. The platform aims to eliminate barriers by promoting the technology transfer of renewable energies, energy and resource efficiency in developing and transition countries. Socio-economic aspects – such as the provision of energy services, the improvement of local infrastructures, training and/or the promotion of market and financing structures – play a key role in ensuring projects’ success.
The platform gives priority to proven and pre-commercial technologies. In some cases, the use of pilot stage technologies may be an appropriate solution and, therefore, may be approved. The economic viability of technologies applied in a specific context is subject to special attention. The potential and the impact of projects pursued under the REPIC platform, are, as much as possible, quantified in relation to technical, socio-economic and environmental parameters.
In line with its objectives, REPIC primarily supports realistic, sustainable, market-oriented and local-responsive approaches.
Measures taken by REPIC aim to reduce the risks and transaction costs of such approaches. The REPIC Pilot instrument focusses on the pre-commercial phase and REPIC Rollout on the early commercial phase. Particular emphasis is also placed on non-technological aspects, such as business and financing models which are adapted to local conditions.
REPIC can support projects in the following categories:
– Pre-projects focused on implementation
– Pilot projects (technical and economic)
– Infrastructure Projects
– Measures in favor of training and quality assurance
– Establishment of market structures
– Funding models
– Events and activities related to information
The specific criteria are described under Conditions and Criteria.
REPIC supports projects in the countries listed on the OECD’s DAC List, the “List of Official Development Assistance” at the time of project submission.
REPIC gives priority to the following renewable energy technologies:
– Small hydraulics
– Solar energy (thermal, photovoltaic)
– Wind power
– Biomass
– Geothermal
In addition to renewable energies, REPIC also supports projects in the areas of energy efficiency and resource efficiency.
Within the REPIC framework, energy efficiency is defined as a reduction in the amount of energy needed to meet a specific energy requirement.
Concerning resource efficiency, REPIC focusses on the management of waste and wastewater (including recycling), as well as the efficiency in the use of raw materials in industrial production.
Project Submission
The procedure to follow for a request to the REPIC platform is distinguished in two phases. In total, it takes from three to five months until the contract is drawn up.
In the first phase, the applicant proposes his project in the form of a project outline. This clearly and coherently explains the project, its context, its objectives and measures. The project outline document must not exceed five pages. It must be developed according to the project outline template.
The decision communication is normally accompanied by suggestions concerning project definition. In the second phase, a project proposal must be submitted to the REPIC platform. The proposal must not exceed 15 to 20 pages. It must be developed according to the project proposal template. REPIC’s conditions for project support will then be defined in a contract.
Sample models can be found on the REPIC website under Project submissions and Documentation.
Project documents should be sent to the REPIC Secretariat. In principle, documents can be submitted at any time but there are deadlines to respect prior to each Steering Group meeting.
The Steering Group usually meets every two months, where it takes positions and makes decision on the project outlines and project proposals submitted in due time. The date of the Steering Group’s next meeting is published on the REPIC website under Deadlines and Fixed Dates.
The project documents should be sent to the REPIC management agency in pdf files or by post (Contact).
Implementation of REPIC Projects
REPIC can support the project’s concrete implementation, at the earliest, after formal project acceptance, based on the Steering Group’s decision. Expenses generated for the project’s development or drafting the proposal for support (outline and proposal) cannot be financed by REPIC.
Payments are made according to the defined tranches as stated in the contract made with the Swiss organization which is responsible for the project. In general, the tranche disbursements are related to the approval of interim reports, as well as to the final report and the financial statement.