This study aims to estimate the potential for sustainable bioenergy production in Africa through such systems, based on the evaluation of yields for 15 short-rotation woody crops.
This study reviews the bioenergy potential from sugarcane and associated development costs in seven sugar-producing countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), aiming to provide a foundation for more detailed country-level studies exploring practical potential.
IRENA’s new spatiotemporal data atlas, AfREP-Hydro, covers all existing and several hundred committed, planned and potential future hydropower plants across Africa.
Low-cost renewable energy, especially from solar photovoltaic (PV) installations, has become an increasingly important part of West Africa’s electricity supply. This report outlines three broad scenarios for the growth of renewables in the region’s power systems, particularly in relation to key national and regional targets.
East and Southern African countries possess vast potential for renewable energy development. This report assesses the prospects for the power sector in the countries of the ACEC through 2040.
This report highlights the role of islands in global efforts against climate change. It highlights transitions to renewables in the power, including planning and implementation, enabling business models and transition tools.
This report offers detailed estimates of the biomass resource potential in Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda. With conversion to advanced liquid biofuels, sustainable biomass feedstock could potentially meet or exceed the five countries’ combined fuel needs for transport in 2050, according IRENA estimates.
This report advises the country’s energy planners to explore different renewable energy policy assumptions and investment scenarios, taking into account the latest studies on resource potential and technology costs.
This collection aims to provide a reference for policy makers and practitioners working to scale up bioenergy in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa. Energy, agriculture, forestry, environment, finance and business experts all seek for solutions to provide energy and also enhance food security, social welfare and environmental sustainability.
The historic Paris climate agreement, adopted by countries around the world in December 2015, aims to the rise of global temperature well below 2 degrees Celsius. Renewable energy will play a key role in this effort, which encompasses developing as well as developed countries, by increasing the supply of cheap and accessible energy in a less carbon-intensive manner.
This report explains how IRENA approached the challenges of data collection to produce the estimates of off-grid energy production and use. An overview of the data collected and detailed tables are provided.
The report highlights the main challenges and way forward to adapt the broader UNFC specifications and guidelines to geothermal energy resources.
Sustainable biofuels have an important role to play in Africa’s development. Sugarcane bioethanol is currently the most cost-effective commercial biofuel and has the highest energy balance.
This report shows the importance of regional coordination in long-term planning, by showcasing collective opportunities for North African countries to diversify their electricity generation mixes and reduce their reliance on fossil fuel resources by 2040.
This report summarises the presentations and discussions held at the webinar series entitled: Long-Term Energy Scenarios (LTES) for Developing National Energy Transition Plans in Africa.
This report for the Italian G7 Presidency identifies priority areas for potential collaboration between the G7 and Africa to advance the continent’s energy transition.
This report builds on the analysis presented in IRENA’s World Energy Transitions Outlook to support energy transition planning and informed policy making in South Africa, and calls for a comprehensive policy framework that can advance the transition whilst safeguarding people, livelihoods and jobs.
This report explores how African countries can achieve universal energy access within the 2030 Agenda timeframe. Also, explores transformational potential of the electricity sector in five Africa countries.
This report draws on primary data from health-energy assessments across 40 sample health facilities in Burkina Faso, as well as key stakeholder consultations and meetings with government and external health and energy experts.
The report lays out a pathway to a renewable-based energy system and shows that the transition promises substantial gains in GDP, employment, and human welfare in each region of the African continent.
Mauritania possesses significant renewable energy resources, which could be developed to strengthen the economy and improve access to energy. Solar and wind energy technologies are well suited for integration into the country’s existing network of mini-grids, according to this Renewables Readiness Assessment (RRA) report released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in association with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The findings of the Renewable Energy Readiness Assessment (RRA) highlight major obstacles to the widespread deployment of renewable energy systems. They identify critical actions that could have a significant impact on increasing renewables in the short and medium term.
This technology brief provides technical background information, analyses market potential and barriers, and offers insights for policy makers on biogas for domestic cooking.
The RRA report presents clear and practical steps to maximise the country’s use of renewables in driving sustainable socio-economic growth.
Ghana has one of Africa’s highest rates of access to electricity. In 2014 this was estimated at 72%, with over 87% in urban areas and nearly 50% in rural areas. The country also exports power to its neighbours, Togo, Benin and Burkina Faso. The Ghanaian power industry is unbundled, comprising generation utilities, transmission and distribution companies, and independent power producers.