10 November 2014: The Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) have published a report on the renewable energy and energy efficiency market and industry development in West Africa. The ‘ECOWAS Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Status Report 2014′ was launched during the REN21 ‘Renewables Academy 2014,’ held from 10-12 November, in Bonn, Germany.

The report aims to support policy-makers, industry, investors and civil society in making informed decisions on renewable energy deployment in West Africa. It also supports ECREEE’s efforts to strengthen data collection and knowledge sharing on renewable energy and energy efficiency developments, trends and activities in the region. The report covers a range of issues, including: an overview of the regional renewable energy and industry; improvements in energy efficiency; status of renewable energy and energy efficiency policies; and investments in renewable energy.

The status report finds that, inter alia: the region’s installed grid-connected renewable energy capacity in early 2014 was 4.8 GW, of which 39 MW was non-hydro; 13 ECOWAS member states have adopted renewable energy support policies, with Ghana and Nigeria having adopted feed-in tariffs; investments in renewables in the region’s six leading states declined from US$370 million in 2011 to US$30 million in 2013; the region’s use of solar photovoltaic (PV) technology remains limited to distributed and off-grid functions; and eight ECOWAS member states have established energy efficiency initiatives in the area of lighting, and three in the buildings sector.

The report underscores that, while the ECOWAS region is endowed with vast renewable energy resource potential and the region’s states recognize this potential, sustained investment in West Africa’s renewable energy sector is needed desperately.

The ECOWAS report is available in English, French and Portuguese. REN21 Regional Status Reports have been published previously on China, India and the Middle East and North Africa.

REN21 also released a second report at the Academy, titled ‘The First Decade: 2004-2014 – 10 Years of Renewable Energy Progress,’ which documents the evolution of renewables since 2004, measures progress by technology and region, examines lessons learned and offers “a vision for the future.”

REN21 is a global renewable energy policy multi-stakeholder network that facilitates knowledge exchange, policy development and joint actions towards a rapid global transition to renewable energy. ECREEE, based Praia, Cabo Verde, is a specialized agency of ECOWAS, with a mandate to promote sustainable development in West Africa through creating an enabling environment for regional renewable energy markets. [REN21 Press Release] [Publication: ECOWAS Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Status Report 2014]