Abdel Karim TRAORE, CEng

Abdel Karim TRAORE, is a Green Business Developer and Renewable energy Engineer with Chartered Energy Engineer (Energy Institute, UK) grade. He worked on Climate Change in the private sector under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)-including PoA (Program of Activities) - in France and in West Africa where he ran the regional office and managed projects in renewable energy, climate change and carbon finance. The vast majority of the green projects he has managed are first-of-their kind at either national or regional levels. As such he participated to the registration of the first ever CDM project in the West Africa Economic and Monetary Union leading to two awards for his company (Best carbon markets brokerages and Best carbon markets management services/Africa –Carbon markets Awards 2011-WORLD FINANCE with about $200 million transacted in carbon finance over this period). His experience in renewable energy covers not only solar but also biomass, wind, fuel switch, waste-to energy and cookstoves projects in several African countries at both large and small scales. Project management is one of his key qualifications and he has actively contributed to the development of markets and distribution models for improved cook stoves. As a Global strategy advisor for solar at SNV (Netherlands Development Organisation) he performed the dissemination of off-grid solar solutions, in 12 countries, to the Bottom of the Pyramid people via commercially viable models involving innovative finance (e.g. Result Based Financing). In this setting, he was the first ever global strategy adviser in off-grid solar (managing 14 country teams over 3 continents in designing contextualized Business Models) and Multicountry program lead at SNV (Netherlands Development Organisation). Before Joining Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) as Regional Director for West Africa, he was the Regional Coordinator for Africa within the Climate Technology Centre and Network under the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO/CTCN) covering Climate Technology transfer to 50 countries in Africa, and supporting the development of several green businesses in renewable energy space. He also has experience in working with start-ups in both grid-connected and off-grid as well as in liaising with relevant Development Finance Institutions (DFIs). He is ISO 50001 Lead Auditor (energy efficiency/energy management systems) and a registered biomass and solar independent expert under DNV –GL. He authored articles in world class journals , reviewed and co-authored publications from multilateral development agencies aiming at supporting policy makers and governments in green growth. Abdel holds a MSc in New and Renewable Energy from Durham University (UK) and Executive MBA from INSEAD (France/Singapore).