AS one of the final projects under the current UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organisation) initiatives and objectives to accelerate the biogas sector, UNIDO has sponsored and worked with SABIA to update its business strategy looking forward to 2030. This business strategy was presented by current SABIA secretary, Alberto Borello, at the Vision 2030 conference hosted by SABIA on 12 October 2022 – Building a Sustainable Southern African Biogas Market
Part of this strategy will involve the evolution of its operating model by appointing a permanent association CEO and support staff. This process will happen over the coming months once the finalised business strategy is ratified by the members at the AGM coming up in November 2022.
Another exciting outcome of the business strategy is the implementation of six working groups, identified as priority based on feedback from the biogas sector stakeholders. This will also be a means of increasing member and sector stakeholder involvement and engagement.
Another meaningful change is the restructuring of membership tiers and implementation of additional membership types, most notably the “Strategic Partner” membership category. SABIA are currently in discussions with various corporations who will play a catalytic role in the growth of the biogas sector over the coming years, and we hope to announce our strategic partner at our AGM. This will bring needed capital for the employment of full-time staff as well as increasing expertise and knowledge onto the SABIA board.
Presentations
Particularly welcomed and informative were presentations on financing options from Green Cape, Standard Bank and from the DBSA which provided valuable insight as to how these organisations assess criteria and business models to finance capital projects.
The technical detail included in each of the presentations indicated the banks willingness to invest in biogas projects that could prove financial viability and sustainability, a welcomed shift from earlier positions.
