Difference between revisions of "Clean Cooking in Mozambique : Deep Dive with Experts"

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'''Moderadores:'''
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{{back button|Webinar_Series:_Status_Quo_and_Market_Potential_of_Off-grid_Renewables_in_Mozambique |Back to the Webinar Series  }}
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{{Portuguese Version|PT/Clean Cooking in Mozambique : Deep Dive with Experts}}
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Energypedia and AMER organised a webinar on clean cookng energy on 02 June to discuss about the opportunities for the private sector with regard to access to finance- The webinar was a follow up to the webinar, [[Webinar Series: Status Quo and Market Potential of Off-grid Renewables in Mozambique|Clean Cooking in Mozambique: Market Status and Opportunities for the Private Sector]].
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Link to the webinar presentation: '''[[:File:Cozinha Limpa em Moçambique - Oportunidades de financiamento.pdf|Cozinha Limpa em Moçambique - Oportunidades de financiamento (Portuguese)]]'''
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'''Moderators'''
 
*Helena Macune
 
*Helena Macune
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*Ana
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*Ana Dionência Munguambe
  
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'''Painelistas:'''
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'''Panellists:'''
 
*Gervásio Mavengue, EnDev / GBE
 
*Gervásio Mavengue, EnDev / GBE
 
*Taira Pene, Fundação para o Desenvolvimento da Comunidade – FDC
 
*Taira Pene, Fundação para o Desenvolvimento da Comunidade – FDC
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*Norato Xerinda, MozCarbon
 
*Norato Xerinda, MozCarbon
 
*Aldina Sindique, Carbonsink
 
*Aldina Sindique, Carbonsink
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*Celio Jose Barnete, Pamoja
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*Célio José Barnete, Pamoja
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=== Panel Discussion ===
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=== Apresentação ===
 
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'''[[:File:Cozinha Limpa em Moçambique - Oportunidades de financiamento.pdf|Cozinha Limpa em Moçambique - Oportunidades de financiamento (Portuguese)]]'''
 
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=== Painel de discussão ===
 
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==== 1.    Como evoluiu o sector desde que começou a trabalhar no sector da cozinha, quais são as mudanças que notou (no que diz respeito à política, financiamento...) ? ====
 
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'''Norato Xerinda da empresa MozCarbon''', teceu algumas consideracoes no tocante a esta pergunta nos seguintes termos:
 
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O sector de cozinha em Moçambique tem evoluido dramaticamente, principalmente desde os 4-5 últimos anos, com o surgimento de varios actores neste sector. E ate mesmo desde 2013, olhando particularmente para a nossa empresa.
 
  
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A testagem dos fogoes melhorados, para a verificacao da qualidade, tambem é um dos factores a mencioanr no que se refere a evolucao do sector, e nesta senda, quero da os meu parabens a GIZ por incentivar as empresas a trazer um pouco mais de qualidade atraves da testagem e tambem da monitoria do impacto.
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==== How has the sector evolved since you started working in the clean cooking sector, what changes have you noticed (regarding policy, funding...) ? ====
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'''MozCarbon''': The clean cooking sector in Mozambique has evolved a lot since 2013/14. Since, then, many new players have entered the sector, who have also introduced new and better quality stoves. There has also been an increase in stove testing for quality verficiation. This has also been possible due to GIZ's program that encourages companies to test as well as monitor the impact of their cookstoves.  
  
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A consciência dos utilizadores finais no que se refere a importância da utilização dos fogões melhorados, seus beneficios., por exemplo do fogão Mbaula, fez com que o esforço na área de Marketing tenha minimizado, sendo então de uma grande valia para as empresas, particularmente para a MozCarbon.
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We have also noticed increased end-user awareness egarding the importance of using improved stoves and their benefits. For example, the sale of the Mbaula stove has increased without much advertisement/marketing as many people are aware of its benefits.
  
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O tipo de financiamento e o  modelo implementado, também, notou-se uma grande evoluçãao e clareza, tendo por exemplo a Abordagem baseada nos resultados (RBF), sendo esta uma boa forma de financiamento, porque incentiva actores de mercado sérios. Temos visto o surgimento de várias fontes de financiamento tais como a  FAZER, BRILHO, Clean Cooking Facility For Africa.
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There are also many financial models being implemented that support the sector. For eg. the Results Based Financing (RBF) is a good financing mechanism because it encourages serious market players. It has seen the emergence of various funding sources such as FAZER, BRILHO and Clean Cooking Facility For Africa.
  
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As instituições que operam na área dos fogões melhorados tem ganhado consciência em relação as fontes de financiamento, além das tradicionais, como BRILHO e FAZER , é de salientar que houve uma grande mudança e evolução, pois pode se notar outras formas de financiamento, a saber, Créditos de Carbono, como fontes que vem ajudar as empresas a desenvolverem os seus negócios de uma forma sustentável. E recentemente tivemos a informação de uma emepresa que recebeu um fundo de 20 milhões de dólares para a implementação de projectos de Carbono em Moçambique.
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The cooking sector has evolved a lot due to the financing opportunities that have appeared and not only because of the financing models presented but also because the institutions that operate in the area of improved cook stoves have gained awareness in relation to sources of financing, in addition to the traditional ones, such as BRILHO and FAZER.  It is noteworthy that there has been a great change and evolution, because other forms of financing namely Carbon Credits that support companies to develop their businesses in a sustainable way. Recently, a company in Mozambique received a 20 million dollars fund for the implementation of carbon projects in Mozambique.
  
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E devido ao acesso ao financiamento, várias empresas foram incentivadas a melhorar a qualidade dos fogões produzidos localmente, assim como o número de fogões produzidos aumentou.
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Due to the access to funding, several companies have been encouraged to improve the quality of the stoves produced locally, and the number of stoves produced has also increased.
  
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A MozCarbon por exemplo não conseguia produzir uma quantidade de 1500 fogoes por mês, no entanto agora já consegui produzir mais de 10 000 a 15 000 fogoes por mês. É certo que algumas questoes ainda devem ser melhoradas, no que diz respeito a ajuda do Governo na facilitação de alguns processos, como na redução de taxas de importacão de fogões devido a elevados custos e direitos alfandegários.
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MozCarbon for example was not able to produce 1500 stoves per month, but now can produce more than 10,000 to 15,000 stoves per month. It is true that some issues still need to be improved, regarding the Government's help in facilitating some processes, such as reducing import taxes on stoves due to high costs and customs duties. Besides these advances, such as the use of woody biomass (firewood and coal) there are also projects that are a little more advanced, such as the use of ethanol, gas, etc.
  
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Não so estamos a ver estes avanços no uso da biomassa lenhosa (lenha e carvão) mas também em projectos um pouco mais avançados como o uso do etanol, gás e etc.
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==== Can Testing Policy contribute as a barrier to companies in the ICS sector? ====
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'''CarbonSink''': No, on the contrary, it is still an incentive to improve the quality of the stoves and there is no longer the need to import stoves from abroad. For Carbonsink, there is no longer the need to import stoves because the stoves produced locally have a good quality.
  
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==== A Politica de Teste pode contribuir uma bareirra para as empresas no sector dos ICS? ====
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==== Since most of you have received some type of RBF funding from different donors, can you share what the process was like for obtaining the fund, the application process, obtaining seed money, or any challenges you have faced ====
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Aldina da empresa CarbonSink, a esta pergunta disse que não. Muito pelo contrario ainda, é um incentivo para que a qualidade dos fogões seja admissivel, e não haja mais a necessidade de importar fogões do exterior.
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'''Sogepal''': To obtain the RBF funding, the process is not difficult, companies must simply met the requirements. This requires some effort by the companies, because they must pre-invest to benefit from the funding. Sogepal has already benefited from this funding, the difficulty however was in the self-financing, because this is one of the prerequisites of RBF. For example, 9 years ago Sogepal did not have the capacity to start a contract in order to produce the stoves and then access the financing, this was the biggest difficulty, but they had to adopt certain internal changes in order to revert the situation, such as the charging system, to use the same amount to produce more stoves.  
  
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==== 2.    Uma vez que a maioria de vós recebeu algum tipo de financiamento RBF de diferentes doadores, podem partilhar conosco como foi o processo para a obtenção do fundo, o processo de candidatura, obtenção de capital inicial ou quaisquer desafios que gostariam de partilhar? ====
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'''Pamoja:''' The company benefited from RBF funding, but faced difficulties, as it was the first experience with this type of funding. In the monitoring process, which is regularly done, we had to get used to this way of working, because it consisted of checking all the activity, going to the consumers to certify the progress of the process. We ended up doing well.  
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'''Florência da empresa Sogepal''', partilhou a experiência da empresa a que representa, dinzendo que para a obtenção do financiamento, o processo não é dificil, as empresas devem simplesmente cobrir os requisitos necessários. E Isto exige algum esforço da nossa parte como empresa, me refiro ao pré-investimento. A Sogepal já se beneficiou deste financimento, a dificuldade entretanto esta no Auto-financiamento, pois este é um dos pré-requisitos exigidos pela modalidde RBF. Por exemplo há 9 anos não tinhamos a capacidade para dar início a uma empreitada de modo a produzir os fogões e posterior ter acesso ao financiamento, esta foi a maior dificuldade, mas tivemos que adoptar certas mudanças internas com vista a reverter a situação, como por exemplo, o sistema de cobrança, para usar o mesmo valor, na produção de mais fogões.  
 
  
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'''Célio José da empresa Pamoja''', afirmou que a sua empresa beneficiou-se do fundo RBF, contudo enfrentaram dificuldades, como sendo a sua primeira experiencia com este tipo de financiamento, no processo de Monitoria, que é regular, tivemos que nos habituar a esta forma de trabalhar, pois consistia na verificação de toda a actividade, indo até aos consumidores para certificar, contudo acabamos nos caindo bem.  
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==== What is the financial literacy like among your customers? ====
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'''Pamoja:''' It takes a long time for customers to pay and several buy the stoves on loan, usually over a period of 18 months. One of the biggest challenges we have is to get the customers to pay. By keeping track of the customers, we follow up with them and see which ones have paid and which ones have not. However there is a difference between the rural area to the urban area. Having started operating in the rural areas, the payments were not very good due to their poor financial conditions, while in the urban areas the situation was the opposite.
  
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==== 3.    Como é a literacia financeira entre os seus clientes? ====
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==== What kind of financing options do you offer to customers? Can you share them with us? ====
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Conforme '''Célio José''', leva muito tempo para os clientes pagarem, vários compram os fogões a título de empréstimo, normalmente num período de 18 meses, e um dos maiores desafios que temos é ter os clientes a pagarem. Tendo o controle dos clientes, assim fazemos o seguimento dos mesmos, que é para ver quais pagaram e quais não.  Contudo existe uma diferença da zona rural para a zona urbana, tendo iniciado a operar nas zonas rurais, os pagamentos não eram muito bons devido a dificuldade financeira destes, pois com bastante dificuldade era efectuado, enquanto que nas zonas urbanas a situação era oposta. 
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'''CarbonSink''': The company works mainly with third parties, because CarbonSink's main activity is carbon Credits. The whole network of production and distribution is done by third-party companies. The financing modalities adopted is based on these third-party companies that mostly use cash payment and installments.  
  
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==== 4.    Que tipo de opções de financiamento oferecem aos clientes? Poderá partilhá-las conosco? ====
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On top of this, another payment option that exists is carbon financing and is also a source of additional revenue. Thus, Carbonsink subsidizes the stoves to the clients by taking into account this additional revenue from carbon credits. In summary, the payment options are cash, installments and carbon financing.
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Para '''Aldina da CarbonSink''', a empresa trabalha principalmente com terceiros, pois a actividade principal da CarbonSink são os Créditos de Carbono. Toda a rede de produção, distribuição, através de contratação de empresas que já actuam, para nos apoiarem neste sentido. As modalidades adoptadas de finaciamento é com base nestas empresas que operam na producao e distribuicao, e nos, dependemos do método usado pelas mesmas e geralmente são o pronto-pagamento e por prestações.  
 
  
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Por cima disso tambem, outra opcao de pagamento que existe e que sobrecai no preço do producto é o financiamento do Carbono, e todos os nossos projectos, tem em vista esta compnente, que é para gerar uma receita adicional. Portanto, nós subsidiamos os fogões aos clientes tendo em conta esta receita adicional, no final do uso dos fogões. E em resumo diria que as opções de pagamento praticadas são o pronto pagamento, prestações e financiamento de Carbono.  
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One of the challenges that is faced in this sector is in payment, because after the stove is sold, the promoters must come back again to collect the second part or the remaining installments.
  
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Um dos desafios que enfrentamos neste sector é no pagamento, pois depois de vendido o fogão, os promotores devem voltra novamente para fazer a cobrança da segunda parte ou das prestações restantes.  
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==== Is anyone aware of an existing funding line for ICS companies in Mozambique? Can you tell us more about it ====
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'''MozCarbon''': Financial institutions such as credit lines and banks mostly focus on energy solutions such as solar systems for homes and irrigation. There is little awareness among these institutions about the clean cooking sector. There is a need to connect the financial instituions with the clean cooking businesses and also showing that these businesses are profitable, althought today, the businesses are neglected by the financial institutions.  
  
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==== 5. Alguém tem conhecimento de uma linha de crédito existente para as empresas ICS em Moçambique? Pode dizer-nos mais sobre ela? ====
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'''Sogepal''': We are aware of the credit line, BCI which is not directed particularly for the clean cooking sector but is focused on the entire renewable energy sector. I am not sure if it is still in force. Althought, it was a well designed credit line, many companies in the sector could not benefit from it as they did not meet the eligibilty criteria.
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'''Norato Xerinda da MozCarbon''', a esta pregunta, respondeu que sim, como Bancos, e geralmente estas instuições, não fianciam mais o sector de energia, tendo como foco os sistemas solares, tanto para o uso caseiro quanto para a irrigação, é de referir que as instituicoes ainda não compreendem muito bem, o sector da cozinha limpa. Há um pequeno defice que precisa ser corrigido, no sentido de ligar as instituicoes financeiras e mostrar que o negócio de cozinha limpa é sustentável, que pode ser lucrativo e que pode ser palpável, embora hoje seja visto de forma relativamente negligenciada.
 
  
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'''Florência da Sogepal''', disse que tem conhecimento de uma linha de financiamento que é o BCI, que não é era dirrecionada particularmente para o sector de cozinha limpa, mas para todo o sector das Energias Renováveis, não sei se ainda esta vigente, embora sendo uma linha muito bem desenhada, entretanto muitas empresas do sector, não se ajustavam aquilo que era o perfil de elegibilidade.
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==== How can a startup in the improved stoves sector access opportunities (Carbon finance)? ====
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'''Carbonsink:''' Regarding carbon credits, Carbonsink has been collaborating with local companies, mainly in the area of carbon credit certification. What we have realized is that many companies that are working in clean cooking or renewable energy, already perform their activities normally, but with the awareness that there is this additional revenue, through the certification of projects for the generation of carbon credits, which are then sold, project can be viablie in the long term. Since most seed funding are given for a few years, in 3, 4 or 5 years, after that funding is over, the startup can have access to the carbon financing and sustain themselves.
  
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=== 6. De que forma uma startup no sector de fogões melhorados pode ter acesso a oportunidades (financiamento do Carbono)? ===
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'''EnDev''': EnDev as a program not only has the results-based financing (RBF) scheme, but also has been supporting companies since 2013. Some of the panelists of this webinar have benefited from the technical and financial support provided by EnDev. EnDev also provides grants that help the company to stabilize in the market, expand in the market, the whole process including the administrative part with trainings, everything to help the company to be profitable, and only after the company stabilizes, then it can already benefit from the RBF financing. In short, EnDev prepares companies so that they are eligibable for the RBF.
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No que se refere ao financiamento ao Crédito de Carbono, nós temos colaborados com empresas locais, principalmente na área de certificação de credito de carbono onde somos especializados. O que percebemos é que muitas empresas que estao neste sector de cozinha limpa ou energias renovaveis, já realizam as suas actividades normalmente, mas com a consciencializacao de que existe esta receita adicional, através da certificacao dos projectos para a geracao de creditos de carbono, que depois são vendidos, entao, da uma possibilidade que o projecto seja sustentavel. Alguns financiamentos são dados em poucos anos, em 3, 4 a 5 anos, findo aquele financiamento, o esperado é que as actividades possam ser sustentáveis por si só, e uma Startup pode sim ter acesso a estes financiamentos.
 
  
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'''Gervasio do FAZER''', quanto a esta pergunta respondeu que o EnDev como programa tem não so o financiamento baseado em resultados (RBF), mas tambem, damos aquele primeiro apoio, como vinhamos fazendo desde 2013, e alguns dos painelistas foram beneficiados dos mesmos inicio, e este apaio dado, cobre a componente técnica e financeira, através de subvenções que não são taxativamente baseados em resultados, mas que ajudam a empresa a estabilizar-se no mercado, expandir no mercado, todo o processo incluindo a parte administrativa com treinamentos, tudo para ajudar a empresa a ser rentável, e só depois da empresa se estabalizar, ai já pode ser beneficiada pelo financiamento RBF. Em suma, o EnDev prepara as empresas para o nível do RBF.
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==== What channels do customers use to repay the amount of the remaining installments? For example: cash, mobile transfer, bank transfer, etc. ====
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'''Mozcarbon:''' We work with associations in Marracuene and Boane to use revolving credit, known as xitique, and this is already very positive. And another experience that we had was in Sofala, in which the type of payment was by installments, in which they coupled with a solar system from another company that used the PAYGO system, where the value of the stove was included within the kit of the solar system, and we were able to recover the revenues from the stoves, and not only that, but we also have a very well equipped call center that does the work with the clients in order to facilitate the payment process, and this pressure on the clients, was even because of the financing received by institutions like FAZER, BRILHO, etc., that put pressure on us.
  
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=== 7.  As prestações que oferece são fixas? Reajustaram-nas desde a pandemia de COVID? What type of support did you had for doing so ===
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'''CarbonSink''': The sales promoters collect the client's information, and have an application that allows the collection of the families' geographic data, and each promoter is responsible to go back to the family that made the sale in the first installment to go collect the remaining part, and not only, but also for the case of other service providers, there is the possibility of a call center, to manage the collections issue, because sometimes it is not the promoters who do the collections, but the database managers, through calls to remind the clients that there is a second or third installment to be paid, and this is how they work to make sure that the installments are finished.
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'''Norato Xerinda''': Nos oferecemos diferentes possibilidades ao cliente, podendo este pagar a prestacoes, por adiantamento geralmente 50%, e o resto é pago  ao longo de 90 dias. Como financiamento do FAZER, Por exemplo no tempo de COVID, nos reduziamos o nivel de prestacao minima que a pessoa podia tirar que estava en torno de 30%, e o resto pagaria ao longo destes 90 dias. Financiamos tambem atraves dos creditos de Carbono, pois este ajuda a cobrir alguns ao longo de toda a cadeia de valor, incluindo a reducao do preco do fogao, comparativamente aquilo que seria o preco de mercado.
 
  
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'''Florencia''': Houve algum reajuste no tempo da pandemia, no processo de cobranca e pagamento, pois antes da pandemia, os pagamentos eram efectuados semanalmente, com  visitas nas residencias dos clintes, mas vindo a pandemia que pegou todos de surpresa, tivemos que fazer sim algnus reajustes. Uma vez que certos clientes perderam a sua renda, as iniciativas da modalidade de pagamento era feita tanto do lado da empresa, quanto dos clientes, de modo a facilitar ambas as partes. Procuramos manter uma relacao de contacto e acabamos assim mantendo uma relacao de familiariade com os clientes. Porque mais de 80% dos nossos clientes nao pagam dinheiro/pronto-pagamento, mas por prestacoes, e tivemos que reajustar tendo em conta a realidade de cada cliente.
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'''Pamoja''': We use an application that is integrated to SmartStove. When there are five days left to make the payment, the application sends automatic messages to the client, reminding about the payment. Because they use PAYGO, as soon as the payment deadline is over, the stove stops working and with PAYGO the payments have improved a lot, because in the past, the clients would give excuses not to pay the rest and the stove would keep working.
  
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'''Celio Jose''': Antes do periodo de COVID, o pagamento era efectuado num periodo compreendido de 12 meses, e também o valor da entrada era um pouco alto, mas percebemos que a pandemia afectou a todos e os clientes ja não tinham a capacidade de pagar a tempo, entao estendemos o período de 12 a 18 meses, e também reduzimos o pagamento inicial, e isso fez com que os clientes continuassem a aderir os nossos serviços.
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==== Do you offer end-user financing only to households or also to institutions (small businesses, hotels, restaurants, etc.)? ====
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'''Mozcarbon''': Currently, our focus is on the distribution of stoves for family use, but also for productive use, although this group is very small in terms of acquisition.
  
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'''Aldina''': Tivemos que fazer a reducao do preco do producto, uma vez que muitas familias perderam o poder economico, e com a facilidade que o FAZER nos proporcionou, atraves do COVIDPlus, foi possível reduzir os preço dos fogões, para que mais famílias tivessem acesso ao mesmos.  
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==== What are the gaps in terms of market intervention that the operators perceive as being from the regulatory authority? To facilitate the consolidation of the presence of brands in communities - Directed to operators/service providers? ====
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'''Mozcarbon:''' Companies in the energy sector have a very open space to work, and at the beginning of the webinar, the strategy of using Biomass energy was presented, showing that the Government is interested that institutions, companies, and society in general, change energy sources, including clean cooking, and this leads you to think that there are no big gaps. The gaps or challenges as always are related to the high taxes that have to do with the production of renewable energy devices, for example to produce stoves, or even for those who want to import tend to pay 50 to 60% of the value, and even we who produce the aluminum-based stoves, pay taxes to import the raw material.
  
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=== 8. Que canais utilizam os clientes para reembolsar os preços das prestações? Por exemplo: dinheiro vivo, transferência móvel, transferência bancária, etc. ===
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==== Did you receive any special funding during the COVID-19 pandemic? What kind? Are the installment payments you offered to end consumers fixed? Have you readjusted them since the COVID pandemic? What kind of support did you have to do this? ====
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'''Norato Xerinda''': Os proprios clientes já fazem um esquema para poder facilitar a aquisicao dos fogoes quinzenalmente, como exemplo, trabalhamos com associacoes em Marracuene e Boane, que se usavam credito rotativo, vulgo xitique e isto já é muito positivo. E uma outra experiencia que tivemos foi em Sofala, em que o tipo de pagamento era por prestacoes, em que aoplavamos a um sistema solar de uma outra empresa que usava o sistema PAYGO, onde o valor do fogao estava incluindo dentro do Kit do sistema solar, e conseguiamos recuperar os ingressos de fogoes, e não so mas tambem temos um call center muito bem equipado que faz o trabalho com os clientes de modo facilitar o processo do pagamento, e esta pressao aos clientes, foi mesmo por causa do financiamento recebido por instituicoes como FAZER, BRILHO etc, que nos pressionavam.
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'''Mozcarbon''': Mozcarbon received the financial support from FAZER called COVIDPlus. During this period, MozCarbon grew its production and also had more sales, since it started operating, and this is due to the support of the FAZER program. With this support it was possible to reduce the initial acquisition fee from 50% to 30% and extend the payment period. However our experience shows that customers tend to pay within 30 days of paying the first instalment. Before the payment was 30% cash and 70% instalment, but now the experience is 65% cash and 35% instalment. Note that in our company the promoters no longer go to the houses to collect but to distribute the stoves.
  
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'''Aldina da CarbonSink''', respondeu que, os promotores de venda recolhem a informacao do consumidor, e temos um aplicativo que possibilita a recolha dos dados geograficos da familias, e cada promotor é responsavel de voltar a familia quefez a venda na primeira prestacao para ir cobrar a parte restante, e não so, mas tambem para o caso de outros provedores de servico, existe a possibilidade de um call center, para gerir a questao das cobrancas, porque as vezes não são os promotores que fazem a cobranca, mas os gestores de banco de dados, atraves de ligacoes de modo a lembrar aos clientes que existe a segunda ou terceira prestacao a se pagar, e é desta maneira que trabalhos de modo a garantir que as prestacoes sejam finalizadas.
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As far as payments are concerned, our company offers different possibilities to the client, he/she can pay in installments with a down payment of usually 50% and the rest is paid over 90 days. With FAZER financing, for example during COVID, we reduced the minimum down payment to 30%, and the rest would be paid over 90 days. We also finance through carbon credits, because it helps to cover some of the gaps along the value chain, including reducing the price of the stove, compared to what would be the market price.
  
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'''Celio Jose da Pamoja''', afirmou que em sua empresa, tem o call center que faz a monitoria e acompanhamento dos clientes, e vai sempre recordando as datas de pagamento, tambem usamos um aplicativo, que esta integrado ao SmartStove, em que qaindo restam cinco dia para se efectuar o pagamento, o aplicativo envia mensagens automaticas ao cliente, recordando sobre o pagamento, e isto faz com que os que já estavam esquecidos lembrem-se. E como usamos o PAYGO, assim que o prazo de pagamento termina o fogao para de funcionar, e com o PAYGO os pagmentos melhoraram bastante, porque otroura, os clientes davam desculpas para não pagarem o restante e o fogão continuava a funcionar.
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'''Sogepal:''' We also received funding from FAZER called the COVIDPlus I and II, and it was possible through this funding to increase the internal stock, purchase raw materials, and also continue the sale of products to final consumers. This funding was of great help during the COVID pandemic. For concerns regarding payments, there were some adjustments in the payment collection process. Before the pandemic, the payments were made weekly, with visits to the customers' homes, but during the pandemic, we had to make some adjustments. Since certain clients lost their income, the payment modality was changed on both the company's and the clients' side to facilitate both parties. We tried to constantly maintain client relationship, and thus ended up maintaining a good relationship with the customers. Because more than 80% of their clients do not pay cash/prepayment, but by installments, we had to adjust taking into account the reality of each client.
  
−
=== 9. Oferece financiamento do utilizador final apenas às famílias ou também a instituições (pequenos negócios, hotéis, restaurantes, etc.)? ===
+
'''Pamoja:''' Before the COVID period, the payment was made over a period of 12 months, and also the down payment was a bit high, but we realized that the pandemic affected everyone and the customers no longer had the ability to pay on time, so we extended the period from 12 to 18 months, and also reduced the down payment, and this made the customers continue to subscribe to our services.
−
'''Norato Xerinda''': Actualmente, como MozCarbon, o nosso foco esta na distribuicao dos fogoes para o uso familiar, mas tambem para o uso productivo, embora este grupo seja de quantidade muito reduzida, no que concerne a aquisicao.  
 
  
−
=== 10. Quais são as lacunas em termos de intervenção no mercado que os operadores entendem como sendo da autoridade reguladora? Para facilitar a consolidação da presença das marcas nas comunidades - Dirigida aos operadores/ provedores de serviços? ===
+
'''Carbonsink:''' We had to reduce the price of the product, since many families lost their economic power, and with the funding from FAZER via COVID-Plus, it was possible to reduce the price of stoves, so that more families could have access to them.
−
'''Norato Xerinda''': Acho que as empresas no sector da Energias tem um espaco muito aberto para trabalharem, e no inicio do webinar, foi apresentado a estrategia do uso da energia de Biomassa, demonstrando que o Governo esta interressado que as instituicoes, as empresas, e a sociedade em geral, mude de fontes de energia, incluindo a da cozinha limpa, e isto leva-me a pensar que nao hajam grandes lacunas. As lacunas ou os desafios como sempre estão relacionados aos elevados impostos que tem haver com a produção de dispositivos de energias renováveis, por exemplo para produzir fogões, ou mesmo para aqueles que querem importar tendem a pagar 50 a 60% do valor, e até nós que produzimos os fogões a base de alumínio, pagamos taxas para importar a matéria prima.
 
  
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=== 11. Recebeu algum financiamento especial durante a pandemia da COVID 19? De que tipo? ===
+
==== Does your company collaborate with other financial institutions (FIs) or mechanisms to offer financing to the end user for the purchase of the stoves? ====
−
'''Norato Xerinda''': Recebemos o COVIDPlus para podermos contornar os obstaculos da COVID, e foi neste periodo em que MozCarbon cresceu a sua producao e tambem teve mais vendas, desde que comecou a operar, e isto deve-se ao apoio do programa FAZER. Com este apoio foi possivel reduzir a taxa de aquisicao inicial de 50% para 30% e alargar o periodo de pagamento. Contudo a nossa experiencia demonstra que os clientes tendem a pagar dentro de 30 dias apos o pagamento da primeira prestacao. Antes o pagamento era de 30% Cash e 70% por prestacao, mas agora a experiencia é de 65% cash e 35% por prestacao. De salientar que na nossa empresa os promotores ja nao vao as casas para cobrar mas para distribuir os fogões.
+
'''Carbonsink:''' Mozcarbon does not collaborate with other institutions, but welcome any institution that is interested in acquiring improved stoves. Companies should start thinking about collaborating with these institutions, and MozCarbon has already started thinking about how to formalize these institutions so that they can acquire improved stoves. And maybe one thing that should be done is to link the companies with NGOs and with those institutions that already work with revolving credit, so that the communities can acquire the stoves, including a value for the stoves. We are in the process of collecting data and indicators to better intervene in order to include the improved stoves component in the communities with which we have experience, Marracuene and Boane
  
−
'''Florência''': Recebemos o financiamento do FAZER, o COVIDPlus I e II, e foi possivel atraves deste financiamento aumentar o nosso stock interno, aquisicao da materia prima, e tambem na venda dos productos aos consumidores finais, foi de uma grande ajuda e aliviou bastante a nossa empresa no tempo da pandemia do COVID.
+
==== What energy efficiency standards does the lab consider? Can we schedule a technical visit? ====
 +
'''FAZER:''' The minimum energy efficiency is 40% compared to conventional stoves, and one can indeed visit the laboratory, it is an open space to receive visitors. The laboratory is called the Center for Biomass Energy Certification and Testing and is located on the campus of the Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) in Maputo.  
  
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=== 12. A sua empresa colabora com outras instituições financeiras (IF) ou mecanismos para oferecer financiamento ao utilizador final para a compra dos fogões? ===
+
[[Category:Mozambique]]
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Norato Xerinda: No, but I think that any institution that is interested in facilitating the process of acquiring improved fireplaces is always welcome. I think that the companies should start thinking about collaborating with these institutions, and we at MozCarbon have already started thinking about how to formalize these institutions in order to make it possible for them to acquire improved fireplaces. And maybe one thing that should be done is to link the companies with the NGOs and with these institutions that already work with revolving credit, so that the communities can acquire the stoves, including a value for the stoves. We are in a process of collecting data and indicators to better intervene in order to include the component of improved stoves in the shiks within the communities that we have had experience with, Marracuene and Boane.
+
[[Category:Portuguese]]
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[[Category:Cooking Energy]]
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[[Category:Improved Cooking]]
 +
[[Category:Webinar]]
  
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==== 13. Quais são os padrões de eficiência energética que o laborátorio considera? Podemos marcar uma visita técnia? ====
+
</div>
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Segundo Taira Pene, do programa FAZER, O minimo de eficiência energética sao 40% de eficiencia em elacao aos fogoes convencionais e pode sim fazer uma visita ao laboatoio.
 

Latest revision as of 14:48, 13 June 2022

Energypedia and AMER organised a webinar on clean cookng energy on 02 June to discuss about the opportunities for the private sector with regard to access to finance- The webinar was a follow up to the webinar, Clean Cooking in Mozambique: Market Status and Opportunities for the Private Sector.

Link to the webinar presentation: Cozinha Limpa em Moçambique - Oportunidades de financiamento (Portuguese)

Moderators

  • Helena Macune
  • Ana Dionência Munguambe

Panellists:

  • Gervásio Mavengue, EnDev / GBE
  • Taira Pene, Fundação para o Desenvolvimento da Comunidade – FDC
  • Florência Saide, Sogepal
  • Norato Xerinda, MozCarbon
  • Aldina Sindique, Carbonsink
  • Célio José Barnete, Pamoja

Panel Discussion

How has the sector evolved since you started working in the clean cooking sector, what changes have you noticed (regarding policy, funding...) ?

MozCarbon: The clean cooking sector in Mozambique has evolved a lot since 2013/14. Since, then, many new players have entered the sector, who have also introduced new and better quality stoves. There has also been an increase in stove testing for quality verficiation. This has also been possible due to GIZ's program that encourages companies to test as well as monitor the impact of their cookstoves.

We have also noticed increased end-user awareness egarding the importance of using improved stoves and their benefits. For example, the sale of the Mbaula stove has increased without much advertisement/marketing as many people are aware of its benefits.

There are also many financial models being implemented that support the sector. For eg. the Results Based Financing (RBF) is a good financing mechanism because it encourages serious market players. It has seen the emergence of various funding sources such as FAZER, BRILHO and Clean Cooking Facility For Africa.

The cooking sector has evolved a lot due to the financing opportunities that have appeared and not only because of the financing models presented but also because the institutions that operate in the area of improved cook stoves have gained awareness in relation to sources of financing, in addition to the traditional ones, such as BRILHO and FAZER. It is noteworthy that there has been a great change and evolution, because other forms of financing namely Carbon Credits that support companies to develop their businesses in a sustainable way. Recently, a company in Mozambique received a 20 million dollars fund for the implementation of carbon projects in Mozambique.

Due to the access to funding, several companies have been encouraged to improve the quality of the stoves produced locally, and the number of stoves produced has also increased.

MozCarbon for example was not able to produce 1500 stoves per month, but now can produce more than 10,000 to 15,000 stoves per month. It is true that some issues still need to be improved, regarding the Government's help in facilitating some processes, such as reducing import taxes on stoves due to high costs and customs duties. Besides these advances, such as the use of woody biomass (firewood and coal) there are also projects that are a little more advanced, such as the use of ethanol, gas, etc.

Can Testing Policy contribute as a barrier to companies in the ICS sector?

CarbonSink: No, on the contrary, it is still an incentive to improve the quality of the stoves and there is no longer the need to import stoves from abroad. For Carbonsink, there is no longer the need to import stoves because the stoves produced locally have a good quality.

Since most of you have received some type of RBF funding from different donors, can you share what the process was like for obtaining the fund, the application process, obtaining seed money, or any challenges you have faced

Sogepal: To obtain the RBF funding, the process is not difficult, companies must simply met the requirements. This requires some effort by the companies, because they must pre-invest to benefit from the funding. Sogepal has already benefited from this funding, the difficulty however was in the self-financing, because this is one of the prerequisites of RBF. For example, 9 years ago Sogepal did not have the capacity to start a contract in order to produce the stoves and then access the financing, this was the biggest difficulty, but they had to adopt certain internal changes in order to revert the situation, such as the charging system, to use the same amount to produce more stoves.

Pamoja: The company benefited from RBF funding, but faced difficulties, as it was the first experience with this type of funding. In the monitoring process, which is regularly done, we had to get used to this way of working, because it consisted of checking all the activity, going to the consumers to certify the progress of the process. We ended up doing well.

What is the financial literacy like among your customers?

Pamoja: It takes a long time for customers to pay and several buy the stoves on loan, usually over a period of 18 months. One of the biggest challenges we have is to get the customers to pay. By keeping track of the customers, we follow up with them and see which ones have paid and which ones have not. However there is a difference between the rural area to the urban area. Having started operating in the rural areas, the payments were not very good due to their poor financial conditions, while in the urban areas the situation was the opposite.

What kind of financing options do you offer to customers? Can you share them with us?

CarbonSink: The company works mainly with third parties, because CarbonSink's main activity is carbon Credits. The whole network of production and distribution is done by third-party companies. The financing modalities adopted is based on these third-party companies that mostly use cash payment and installments.

On top of this, another payment option that exists is carbon financing and is also a source of additional revenue. Thus, Carbonsink subsidizes the stoves to the clients by taking into account this additional revenue from carbon credits. In summary, the payment options are cash, installments and carbon financing.

One of the challenges that is faced in this sector is in payment, because after the stove is sold, the promoters must come back again to collect the second part or the remaining installments.

Is anyone aware of an existing funding line for ICS companies in Mozambique? Can you tell us more about it

MozCarbon: Financial institutions such as credit lines and banks mostly focus on energy solutions such as solar systems for homes and irrigation. There is little awareness among these institutions about the clean cooking sector. There is a need to connect the financial instituions with the clean cooking businesses and also showing that these businesses are profitable, althought today, the businesses are neglected by the financial institutions.

Sogepal: We are aware of the credit line, BCI which is not directed particularly for the clean cooking sector but is focused on the entire renewable energy sector. I am not sure if it is still in force. Althought, it was a well designed credit line, many companies in the sector could not benefit from it as they did not meet the eligibilty criteria.

How can a startup in the improved stoves sector access opportunities (Carbon finance)?

Carbonsink: Regarding carbon credits, Carbonsink has been collaborating with local companies, mainly in the area of carbon credit certification. What we have realized is that many companies that are working in clean cooking or renewable energy, already perform their activities normally, but with the awareness that there is this additional revenue, through the certification of projects for the generation of carbon credits, which are then sold, project can be viablie in the long term. Since most seed funding are given for a few years, in 3, 4 or 5 years, after that funding is over, the startup can have access to the carbon financing and sustain themselves.

EnDev: EnDev as a program not only has the results-based financing (RBF) scheme, but also has been supporting companies since 2013. Some of the panelists of this webinar have benefited from the technical and financial support provided by EnDev. EnDev also provides grants that help the company to stabilize in the market, expand in the market, the whole process including the administrative part with trainings, everything to help the company to be profitable, and only after the company stabilizes, then it can already benefit from the RBF financing. In short, EnDev prepares companies so that they are eligibable for the RBF.

What channels do customers use to repay the amount of the remaining installments? For example: cash, mobile transfer, bank transfer, etc.

Mozcarbon: We work with associations in Marracuene and Boane to use revolving credit, known as xitique, and this is already very positive. And another experience that we had was in Sofala, in which the type of payment was by installments, in which they coupled with a solar system from another company that used the PAYGO system, where the value of the stove was included within the kit of the solar system, and we were able to recover the revenues from the stoves, and not only that, but we also have a very well equipped call center that does the work with the clients in order to facilitate the payment process, and this pressure on the clients, was even because of the financing received by institutions like FAZER, BRILHO, etc., that put pressure on us.

CarbonSink: The sales promoters collect the client's information, and have an application that allows the collection of the families' geographic data, and each promoter is responsible to go back to the family that made the sale in the first installment to go collect the remaining part, and not only, but also for the case of other service providers, there is the possibility of a call center, to manage the collections issue, because sometimes it is not the promoters who do the collections, but the database managers, through calls to remind the clients that there is a second or third installment to be paid, and this is how they work to make sure that the installments are finished.

Pamoja: We use an application that is integrated to SmartStove. When there are five days left to make the payment, the application sends automatic messages to the client, reminding about the payment. Because they use PAYGO, as soon as the payment deadline is over, the stove stops working and with PAYGO the payments have improved a lot, because in the past, the clients would give excuses not to pay the rest and the stove would keep working.

Do you offer end-user financing only to households or also to institutions (small businesses, hotels, restaurants, etc.)?

Mozcarbon: Currently, our focus is on the distribution of stoves for family use, but also for productive use, although this group is very small in terms of acquisition.

What are the gaps in terms of market intervention that the operators perceive as being from the regulatory authority? To facilitate the consolidation of the presence of brands in communities - Directed to operators/service providers?

Mozcarbon: Companies in the energy sector have a very open space to work, and at the beginning of the webinar, the strategy of using Biomass energy was presented, showing that the Government is interested that institutions, companies, and society in general, change energy sources, including clean cooking, and this leads you to think that there are no big gaps. The gaps or challenges as always are related to the high taxes that have to do with the production of renewable energy devices, for example to produce stoves, or even for those who want to import tend to pay 50 to 60% of the value, and even we who produce the aluminum-based stoves, pay taxes to import the raw material.

Did you receive any special funding during the COVID-19 pandemic? What kind? Are the installment payments you offered to end consumers fixed? Have you readjusted them since the COVID pandemic? What kind of support did you have to do this?

Mozcarbon: Mozcarbon received the financial support from FAZER called COVIDPlus. During this period, MozCarbon grew its production and also had more sales, since it started operating, and this is due to the support of the FAZER program. With this support it was possible to reduce the initial acquisition fee from 50% to 30% and extend the payment period. However our experience shows that customers tend to pay within 30 days of paying the first instalment. Before the payment was 30% cash and 70% instalment, but now the experience is 65% cash and 35% instalment. Note that in our company the promoters no longer go to the houses to collect but to distribute the stoves.

As far as payments are concerned, our company offers different possibilities to the client, he/she can pay in installments with a down payment of usually 50% and the rest is paid over 90 days. With FAZER financing, for example during COVID, we reduced the minimum down payment to 30%, and the rest would be paid over 90 days. We also finance through carbon credits, because it helps to cover some of the gaps along the value chain, including reducing the price of the stove, compared to what would be the market price.

Sogepal: We also received funding from FAZER called the COVIDPlus I and II, and it was possible through this funding to increase the internal stock, purchase raw materials, and also continue the sale of products to final consumers. This funding was of great help during the COVID pandemic. For concerns regarding payments, there were some adjustments in the payment collection process. Before the pandemic, the payments were made weekly, with visits to the customers' homes, but during the pandemic, we had to make some adjustments. Since certain clients lost their income, the payment modality was changed on both the company's and the clients' side to facilitate both parties. We tried to constantly maintain client relationship, and thus ended up maintaining a good relationship with the customers. Because more than 80% of their clients do not pay cash/prepayment, but by installments, we had to adjust taking into account the reality of each client.

Pamoja: Before the COVID period, the payment was made over a period of 12 months, and also the down payment was a bit high, but we realized that the pandemic affected everyone and the customers no longer had the ability to pay on time, so we extended the period from 12 to 18 months, and also reduced the down payment, and this made the customers continue to subscribe to our services.

Carbonsink: We had to reduce the price of the product, since many families lost their economic power, and with the funding from FAZER via COVID-Plus, it was possible to reduce the price of stoves, so that more families could have access to them.

Does your company collaborate with other financial institutions (FIs) or mechanisms to offer financing to the end user for the purchase of the stoves?

Carbonsink: Mozcarbon does not collaborate with other institutions, but welcome any institution that is interested in acquiring improved stoves. Companies should start thinking about collaborating with these institutions, and MozCarbon has already started thinking about how to formalize these institutions so that they can acquire improved stoves. And maybe one thing that should be done is to link the companies with NGOs and with those institutions that already work with revolving credit, so that the communities can acquire the stoves, including a value for the stoves. We are in the process of collecting data and indicators to better intervene in order to include the improved stoves component in the communities with which we have experience, Marracuene and Boane

What energy efficiency standards does the lab consider? Can we schedule a technical visit?

FAZER: The minimum energy efficiency is 40% compared to conventional stoves, and one can indeed visit the laboratory, it is an open space to receive visitors. The laboratory is called the Center for Biomass Energy Certification and Testing and is located on the campus of the Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) in Maputo.

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