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ePaper created 2015-01-29, 17:46:37 | version 1.34.01
RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY STATUS REPORT 2014 | 5 FOREWORD Fellow citizens, partners and readers! It is a great honour and pleasure for me to present the first edition of the ECOWAS Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Status Report which provides a regional perspective of the renewable energy and energy efficiency market and industry development in West Africa in recent years. Despite the vast energy resources of its 15 Member States, the energy market remains largely underdeveloped. Expanding access to modern, reliable, and affordable energy services has therefore become a key regional priority. As part of efforts to increase access to modern energy services in the region, the ECOWAS authority established the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) in 2010. Since its establishment, ECREEE has sought to actualise its vision and mandate of developing viable sustainable energy markets in the ECOWAS region. In 2012, ECREEE in collaboration with its partners developed two regional policies: the ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy (EREP) and ECOWAS Energy Efficiency Policy (EEEP). In July 2013, the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government adopted these two landmark policies. Both policies outline Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency targets to be achieved by ECOWAS countries by 2030. The goals of the policies correspond precisely to the poles of the UN Secretary General’s initiative on Sustainable Energy for All and have led to new developments in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors throughout the region. In order to meet the ambitious targets set out above, ECREEE is currently assisting 15 ECOWAS countries to develop their Renewable Energy and Energy Actions Plans as well as the United Nations SE4ALL Action Agenda policy best practices, cross-border collaborations and domestic, regional and foreign investments in the region all need to be scaled-up. To achieve this it is critical that the full range of renewable energy activities in the region is understood and that this information is available to stakeholders in the region as well as to local and global investors, developers and project promoters. The accelerated deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency practices in the region cannot be achieved without good, up-to-date information. The ECOWAS Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Status Report contributes to this process by providing a comprehensive overview of the status of renewable energy markets, industry, policy and regulatory frameworks investments activities in the ECOWAS region. It draws on information at both regional and national levels to present the most up-to-date status on sustainable energy development in the 15 ECOWAS countries. The report examines the evolving investment climate in the region, as it concerns renewable energy and energy efficiency. Understanding the region’s emerging renewable energy industry, market development and growth is critical