Background / General description:
UNIT CONTEXT
The Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) is a donor-funded global knowledge and technical assistance program, administered by the World Bank. It provides analytical and advisory services to low- and middle-income countries to increase their know-how and institutional capacity to achieve environmentally sustainable energy solutions for poverty reduction and economic growth. Supporting over a hundred activities in countries around the world at any given time, ESMAP is an integral part of the Energy and Extractives Global Practice of the World Bank. The 2017-2020 Business Plan of ESMAP has a projected budget of around $140-150 million which will be allocated to ESMAP’s three thematic areas – Energy Access, Energy Efficiency, and Renewable Energy – as well as to three cross-cutting areas: Energy Sector Governance, Markets, and Planning; Energy Subsidy Reform; and, the Sustainable Energy for All Knowledge Hub. ESMAP’s focus is on informing the World Bank’s policy dialogue and investment lending through analytical work, technical assistance, fostering innovation, mobilizing cutting-edge knowledge, and promoting sharing of experiences amongst practitioners.
Changes in the provision and consumption of electricity enabled by improvements in communications, information and energy technologies present new opportunities to integrate variable renewable energy resources (VREs) and distributed energy resources (DERs) in the power grid. These resources can provide a number of services that could significantly increase access to electricity, improve the utilization of electricity infrastructure and facilitate the electrification of the transportation sector. Exploiting the potential benefits brought by these new technologies, however, might be at odds with the business model of existing traditional utilities and the regulatory environment. Utilities may see a risk to their cash flows or lack the financial strength to invest in enabling infrastructure, preventing any changes from taking place. The creation of a policy and regulatory framework that provides incentives for utilities to improve their performance and to facilitate the integration of VREs and DERs has been subject of debate in OECD countries for the last few years, and a several studies have appeared putting forward a number of actions that could contribute to solving this problem.
Most of these solutions, however, have been proposed in the context of high-income industrialized economies and assume a set of enabling conditions that are not necessarily met by low-and-medium income countries receiving IBRD and IDA support. Limiting factors in IBRD and IDA countries can come in a number of different forms ranging from weak institutions capable of changing the status quo to lack of physical infrastructure to support some of the features of VREs and DERs. Nonetheless, VREs and DERs still offer a valuable option for IBRD and IDA countries to increase the efficient deployment low-carbon resources and increase electricity access—both critical components to achieve sustainable development—and it would not be appropriate to rule them out on the grounds of these conditions.
Recognizing the importance of new energy technologies in achieving affordable and clean energy in low-and-medium income countries, ESMAP aims to launch a center of expertise at the World Bank to enhance power utility regulation by identifying and addressing these limiting factors based on experiences brought by experts and development practitioners. The ESMAP team will support clients through the World Bank’s energy sector country engagements, with a view to removing barriers to the integration of cost-effective renewable sources of electricity, developing well-designed regulatory incentives, and improving prices and charges to achieve efficient, low-carbon power systems.
The World Bank Group is committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality, culture and educational background. Individuals with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.
Note: If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a 3 year term appointment.
Duties and Accountabilities:
The Senior Energy Specialist will report to the Practice Manager, ESMAP, and will lead ESMAP’s Future of Utilities in Low and Middle Income Countries center of expertise. In this capacity, the incumbent will:
Advise World Bank clients and operational teams on the impact of VRE and DER on power systems as part of the Bank’s advice on energy sector policies and regulations – including country engagements related to electricity market design, distribution utility reforms, tariff setting, and large scale renewable energy procurement (e.g. auctions).
Advise World Bank clients and operational teams on new business models for utilities/energy service providers in the context of disruptive technologies (VRE and DER).
As part of World Bank country teams, carry out power sector assessments (including power system planning) and develop strategies that provide clients with new options for the provision and consumption of electricity services.
Develop partnerships with ESMAP donors, industry, academia, national institutions, and other international organizations to strengthen global knowledge, foster sharing of experience and contribute to raising financial support for activities related to Future of Utilities in Low and Middle Income Countries.
Selection Criteria:
• Minimum master’s degree in engineering or economics related to power systems, with at least eight years of professional experience working with generation, transmission and/or distribution utilities.
• Knowledge of electricity market design/operations with integration of VRE/DER, electricity/energy services price regulation, and regulation of distribution utilities.
• Experience in power system planning, including use of advanced modeling techniques.
• International experience, including exposure to power sector in middle and low income countries and an interest in broader development issues.
• Expertise in variable renewable energy sources (solar and wind) and distributed technologies (including flexible demand, distributed generation, energy storage, and advanced power electronics and control devices).
• Innovative thinker, with ability to apply cutting-edge knowledge to policy development, investment design and implementation.
• Ability to work in multi-cultural teams.
• Strong verbal and writing communication skills in English. Fluency in French desirable.
