FPI/Energy Security - National consultant to support the implementation of the pilot projects related to energy efficiency and renewable measures (Team leader 4).Vacancy Number: Qu23/02693
Background
Starting with October 2021, Moldova is facing a significant increase of gas prices consequently both of very tight global energy markets and a recently amended contract with Gazprom Moldova gas supplier. During the winter season 2021-2022, Moldova purchased its gas at prices about three or four times higher than in previous years which represented about $770/1000 cubic meters in October, $450/1000 cubic meters in November and December and $650/1000 cubic meters in January 2022. The prices are highly dependent of international gas market fluctuations which puts Moldovan Government in the situation to quickly react in case of unforeseen excessive price increases. This has put significant pressures on Moldova’s public finances and on the ability of the most vulnerable citizens to afford gas throughout the winter. The situation is becoming more complex as the Gazprom applies a rigid approach in terms of contractual deadlines for payments of advances, which has not been the case ever before. In response to this energy crisis, the Government of Moldova introduced a State of Emergency on October 22, 2021, and January 20, 2022, and has prepared an urgent response to strengthen the social protection system’s ability to respond to increased energy tariffs. The Moldovan Government response is to ensure compensations measures for heating of all population in the proportion of 67% (from tariff increase) in December 2021 to 80% in January 2022. Given the increase of gas tariffs will lead to subsequent increases of the electricity prices, the entire national economy and population will be affected. In this circumstances, Moldovan Government is looking to diversifying gas and electricity supply, to strengthen its energy security and enabling a transparent, fully open, and well-functioning energy market. For a country in which nearly two thirds of the population lived on less than $10/day before the pandemic began, where the expenditure on food and energy absorbs most vulnerable household incomes, and where the vulnerable households generate the lion’s share of its electricity from gas, the current energy price increase has already shown significant implications. Energy poverty is to deepen, particularly for the poor households that are having to face a three to four- fold increase in energy prices (for gas and electricity) during the 2021-2022 heating season and beyond. Combined with the country’s aggravated context by the COVID-19 pandemic (5th COVID19 wave as the Omicron variant outbreaks) and on-going macroeconomic social distress, the energy shocks also pose major risks to the Government’s reform program, which seeks to strengthen Moldova’s alignment with European and global good governance practices and is central to Moldova’s hopes for achieving the SDGs. The current geopolitical situation brings additional urgency to pursue these actions. The acute gas supply crisis in Moldova has also been subject of discussions within the Moldova-EU Association Council meeting on October 28, 2021. The EU and Moldova stressed the importance of resilience against any potential efforts by third parties to use energy as a geopolitical lever. The Association Council recalled the importance of continued energy market reform to strengthen competition and transparency in this sector. The EU has urged Moldova to ensure that the energy sector reform demonstrates full respect of the Energy Community acquis and is in line with the EU Third Energy Package. The EU side confirmed its support to the objective of Moldova to synchronize its electricity network with the Continental European Network (CEN), an important step towards the integration into the EU energy system and market. Under these circumstances the Government of Moldova will be assisted to tackle the current energy crisis and energy poverty and addressing prioritized systemic elements in the energy sector to cope with potential future energy crisis. In partnership with EU, UNDP Moldova will therefore, support the Government of Moldova:
The Project duration is envisaged between 2022- 2023 with support from Foreign Policy Instrument (herewith FPI) of EU. In this context, UNDP Moldova is seeking to recruit a National Consultant, Team Leader, to assist in the design and implementation of the Component 4 of the Programme “Investment support /pilots in energy efficiency and renewable with a focus on the most vulnerable (FPI Programme). Under this component targeted support will be provided for identification and implementation of the demonstration/pilot’s projects of energy efficiency and renewable measures to increase energy affordability and development of sustainable financing mechanisms with primary focus on vulnerable households and public sector. The end goal of this component is to operationalize nation-wide energy programmes and demonstrate solutions to increase energy affordability in residential and public buildings, targeting specifically the most vulnerable and affected groups of population. The expected results are:
Scope of work
The overall objective of this assignment for the National Consultant (Consultant) is to provide substantive support in the coordination, and monitoring of programme activities under Component 4 of the Project which seeks to operationalize nation-wide energy programmes and demonstrate solutions to increase energy affordability in residential and public buildings, targeting specifically the most vulnerable and affected groups of population. The Consultant will work in close consultation with the assigned EECC programme staff, operations units from the UNDP Country Office and the project team to deliver quality results in an effective and efficient manner, while anticipating and managing the risks and issues. The incumbent is expected to exercise full compliance with UNDP programming, financial, procurement and administrative rules, regulations, policies, and strategies, as well as implementation of effective internal control systems. The following are the specific tasks of the incumbent: Provide support during Programme’s implementation phase: - lead and steer the implementation of a large-scale vouchers programme for household appliances dedicated to vulnerable energy households (format and details of the programme to be decided in consultation with the relevant authorities). The vouchers programme will help energy vulnerable families, in particular women left behind, to reduce their bills by replacing the old appliances which are divided in two categories: category 1- electric bulbs; category 2 - fridges, washing machines and electric stoves. with new energy efficient ones who own an energy label. The mechanism for issuing the vouchers will be developed on an digital platform where the potential beneficiaries will have the possibility to apply for getting the voucher. The platform will be developed by engaging local ICT sector, on competitive basis, through UNDP’s Digital Innovation Challenge mechanism.
- lead implementation of the refurbishment activities related to the distribution of heating system in the multi story residential buildings connected to CHP in the city (where it is operational). The pilot will consist in switching from vertical to horizontal distribution of heat with installation of modern net meters to allow efficient and automatic operation of heating in autumn and spring period, and offering the possibility to beneficiaries to regulate the heat comfort in each apartment by adjusting the desired temperature. In addition, to minimize the energy losses and reduction of bills might by explored the works of insulation of the building envelope, changing the windows, insulation of the ground floor and last floor, renovation and insulation of the rooftop, as well as installation of photovoltaic panels on the building rooftop to cover the energy bills for elevator and interior lightening (approx. 12 kW power). - lead implementation of an intervention meant to support investments in use of renewable energy within medical institutions and assessing the feasibility of adoption of integrated renewable solutions and piloting their implementation (e.g. solar collectors for hot water and cooling systems). Within this action will be assessed also the possibility to implement integrated EE and RE solutions in other public buildings. - provide support, upon request from the Programme Manager to the National nudging programme for homeowners to improve/reduce electricity consumption to be deployed by the FPI Programme. The Programme will be based on comparison with most efficient neighbors and in line with successful UNDP behavioral experiment, in partnership with Premier Energy and Moldova Gaz SA, coupled with National Programme for home appliances. The intervention will consist of two parallel programmes, i.e., ‘electricity program’ (EP) and ‘gas program” (GP), both targeting two layers of end-clients: those most inefficient and everyone else. Separate impact evaluation will be done monthly (based on evidence on electricity and gas use), quarterly and a final evaluation after 12 months of the EP and GP implementation. The EP will target 150,000 HHs to receive behavioral letters comparing those HHs with most efficient neighbors. Over 200,000 other HHs will receive simple nudging letters. The GP will target about the same number of HHs. The capacities of the programs to include more HHs depend on the capacity to process data and couple the billing process with that of developing and sending behavioral letters. On bill nudging is possible to start in early 2023. - provide support to the implementation of the Energy Management information System (EMIS) and smart energy metering, as a tool to monitor the economic impacts for energy consumption (at national level in partnership with AEE). EMIS is currently being tested in Chisinau, with UNDP support, in collaboration with Termoelectrica and is ready for replication to the other regions of Moldova. There is an interest of EEA to partner on its replication at national level. Requirements for experience
Academic Qualifications:
Years and area of experience:
Competencies:
Personal qualities:
The UNDP Moldova is committed to workforce diversity. Women, persons with disabilities, Roma and other ethnic or religious minorities, persons living with HIV, as well as refugees and other noncitizens legally entitled to work in the Republic of Moldova, are particularly encouraged to apply. Documents to be included
Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/ information to demonstrate their qualifications:
Important notice: The applicants who have the statute of Government Official / Public Servant prior to appointment will be asked to submit the following documentation:
Financial proposal
The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including the daily fee, taxes, and number of anticipated working days). | |||||||||||||||||||
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