January 2012: The International Renewable Agency (IRENA) has published a report titled “Renewables Readiness Assessment for Mozambique: Preliminary Findings,” which identifies areas in which the country can improve its readiness for renewable energy deployment.

The Renewables Readiness Assessment (RRA) contains chapters on: the energy situation in Mozambique; actions identified to upscale renewables deployment in the short- to medium-term; examples of good practice in Mozambique; and future cooperation. The RRA highlights some of the country’s good practices including plans to electrify schools, clinics and villages using photovoltaic, wind and mini-hydro systems. In addition, the report identifies actions that could increase the countries’ readiness to adopt renewable energy and attract renewable energy investments, including: supporting the development of large and small scale hydroelectricity projects; including potential sites for hydroelectricity projects in grid extension planning; evaluating the cost of energy generation from wind energy in Mozambique; developing a system of feed-in tariffs for electricity generated by renewable technologies; promoting development of sustainable biofuel projects; clarifying the requirements for biofuels producers to supply biofuels to the local market; scaling up deployment of rural electrification and decentralized energy; and encouraging private sector involvement in rural electrification and decentralized energy.

The report also identifies actors who could support these actions and highlights the need for bilateral and multilateral engagement to carry out the actions identified for deployment of renewables. The report indicates that it may be used in future as the basis of national or international programmes on renewables. [IRENA Press Release] [Report: Renewables Readiness Assessment for Mozambique: Preliminary Findings]