Congratulations Hary ANDRIANTAVY!

Congratulations Hary ANDRIANTAVY!

Hary is based in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and works to bring together 45 agencies and structures in charge of rural electrification in 35 countries of the continent.

Each month, the Africa Minigrids Program aims to spotlight an individual from one of the participating countries working tirelessly to advance the initiative at the regional or national level.

January’s Champion of the Month, Hary ANDRIANTAVY, serves as the Executive Secretary for the African Association for Rural Electrification (CLUB-ER). His work supports the development of activities and field strategies to accelerate the achievement of SDG7, forging partnerships with international and regional players ranging including the Sustainable Energy for All, the International Renewable Energy Agency, and the Africa Minigrids Program.

Q: What’s your story—how did you end up working in the clean energy industry? 

A: After my higher education in France in electrical engineering and my national service for cooperation in Cameroon, I decided to return to Madagascar. At the time, in 1994, solar PV was still in its embryonic state. However, I had still decided to develop the project portfolio of a French company for the Indian Ocean zone. From there, my passion for renewable energies was born.

Q: Briefly describe your role and involvement with AMP so far. 

A: I learned about the AMP through social networks and information shared with me by a colleague. As I was already working with RMI, I was offered the opportunity to extend this collaboration with the AMP. My role is, on the one hand, to lead the CLUB-ER community in sharing experiences and disseminating good practices through training, discussions, and publications.

Q: What excites you most about the potential of AMP, specifically in your country?  

A: The AMP is certainly a program but also a network of skills and a cluster of actors. What is very important in the development of energy access projects is to be able to communicate and share. The AMP offers this exchange platform.

Q: What is one thing you want people to know about minigrids and access to electricity? 

A: The minigrid is a strategy for accessing electricity, just like the extension/densification of the national grid or the solar home system. Generally, the minigrid project is developed within a PPP framework (Public-Private Partnerships); the tariff is often different from that of the national grid, which is more expensive to interest the private sector, which invests in the operation. It is then important to optimize the system, and productive uses remain a solution for this. We must put the subject of productive uses at the centre of our discussion during the feasibility study phase.