17 October 2014: The Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) of the African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a US$265,000 grant for the development of an energy resource atlas for Africa aimed at accelerating the deployment of renewable energy in the region through improved information on renewable energy resource availability at country level. The ‘Africa Energy Atlas’ will be developed in partnership by the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

Aimed at policymakers, state-owned enterprises, private investors and developers, and academics, the Atlas will seek to support informed decision making and provide information needed for investment feasibility assessments. The Atlas will include illustrative maps, charts and comparative images conveying information on renewable energy resources and potential related environmental impacts across the region. The publication will also include visual information on energy access challenges and opportunities.

The expected outcomes of the project are: improved data availability on energy and related issues; up-to-date information on country-specific energy resource development and related environmental challenges; and, ultimately, increased investments in sustainable energy in Africa, with co-benefits, including job creation, energy access and lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

SEFA, a multi-donor facility endowed with US$60 million from the Governments of Denmark and the US, and hosted and administered by AfDB, works through: grants for medium-scale renewable energy and energy efficiency projects; equity investments for small- and medium-scale renewable energy projects; and support to the public sector for improving enabling environments for private-sector investments into sustainable energy. The Atlas will be funded through SEFA’s ‘enabling environment’ window. [AfDB Press Release] [SEFA Website]