Innovative Policies for Overcoming Barriers to Financing for Green Energy Projects in Sub-Saharan Africa

Energy communities have received considerable attention in the Global North, especially in Europe, due to their potential for achieving sustainable energy transitions. In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), energy communities have received less attention partly due to the nascent energy systems in many emerging SSA states. In this paper, we argue that these nascent energy systems offer an opportunity to co-create energy communities that can tackle the energy access challenges faced by most SSA countries. To understand how such energy communities are realised in the sub-region, we undertake a systematic review of research on energy communities in 46 SSA countries. Our findings show that only a few energy projects exhibit the conventional characteristics of energy communities; In most of these projects, local communities are inadequately resourced to institute and manage their own projects. We thus look to stakeholder engagement approaches to propose co-design as a strategy for strengthening energy communities in SSA. We further embed our co-design proposal in energy democracy thinking to argue that energy communities can be a pathway towards equity and energy justice in SSA. We conclude that energy communities can indeed contribute to improving energy access in Africa, but they need an enabling policy environment to foster their growth and sustainability.

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Enhancing Sustainable Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: New Integrated Sustainability Mechanisms for Securing Substantial Benefits of Renewable Energy Projects

10.3990/1.9789036543408 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Eugene C.X. Ikejemba

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Renewable Energy ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Energy Projects ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Integrated Sustainability

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Maghreb countries will bolster renewable energy sector

Emerald Expert Briefings ◽

10.1108/oxan-db240850 ◽

2018 ◽

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

North Africa ◽

Energy Security ◽

Oil And Gas ◽

Solar Power ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Domestic Consumption ◽

Content Type ◽

Energy Projects ◽

Sub Saharan

Subject Renewable energy projects in North Africa. Significance Tunisia prequalified 16 groups in November to bid for contracts to build and operate a total of 500 megawatts of solar power. The Tunisian scheme will add to a rapidly growing set of solar power projects across North Africa. Morocco has led the way, but Egypt is poised to become the largest solar power producer in the region. Algeria has ambitious plans but has been slow to put them into practice. Impacts In Algeria and Egypt, solar power will slow domestic consumption of oil and gas and maximise exports. In Morocco, which relies heavily on imported fuel, solar power will enhance energy security. North Africa may contribute to lowering CO2 emissions by becoming a major exporter of renewable energy to Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa.

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The empirical reality & sustainable management failures of renewable energy projects in Sub-Saharan Africa (part 1 of 2)

Renewable Energy ◽

10.1016/j.renene.2016.10.037 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 102 ◽

pp. 234-240 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Eugene C.X. Ikejemba ◽

Peter B. Mpuan ◽

Peter C. Schuur ◽

Jos Van Hillegersberg

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Sustainable Management ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Empirical Reality ◽

Energy Projects ◽

Sub Saharan

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Mechanisms and challenges in financing renewable energy projects in sub-Saharan Africa: a Ghanaian perspective

Journal of Financial Management of Property and Construction ◽

10.1108/jfmpc-03-2020-0014 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

De-Graft Owusu-Manu ◽

Lawrence Martin Mankata ◽

Caleb Debrah ◽

David John Edwards ◽

Igor Martek

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Severity Index ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Content Type ◽

Potential Barriers ◽

Track Record ◽

Index Analysis ◽

Energy Projects ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

The Government

Purpose Ghana has set an objective of achieving 10% of its energy requirements through renewable sources, by 2020. However, to date, the renewable energy (RE) sector has attracted only marginal investor interest. This paper aims to identify the challenges faced in financing RE in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive review of literature in renewable energy finance was conducted and 12 financing challenges were identified. From this list, a questionnaire was developed asking to rank barriers. This was distributed to experts within financial institutions and 32 were returned. A factor analysis and severity index analysis were performed to identify a ranking of challenges impeding RE project financing in Ghana. Findings The challenges to RE financing fall into the three broad categories, namely, “economic, commercial and regulatory” challenges. Within these broad constraints, “long payback periods,” “limited track record” and “high upfront cost” are the most severe impediments to obtaining financing for RE. Practical implications Identifying the specific conditions that make an investment in RE unattractive, give policymakers set on achieving the 10% RE goal, a way forward in developing a targeted policy that would mitigate identified investor disincentives. Originality/value The broad range of potential barriers to investment are known. However, this study combines a specific governmental ambition – encouraging the financing of RE – with a specific set of identified barriers inhibiting that ambition. In this regard, this study identifies exactly where the government needs to act if it is to facilitate investment in RE, as is required for Ghana to reach its 10% RE target.

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The incidence and extent of the CDM across developing countries

Environment and Development Economics ◽

10.1017/s1355770x15000388 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

pp. 415-438 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Shaikh M. Rahman ◽

Ariel Dinar ◽

Donald F. Larson

Keyword(s):

Developing Countries ◽

Clean Development Mechanism ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Mitigation Potential ◽

Investment Projects ◽

Activities Implemented Jointly ◽

Energy Projects ◽

Per Capita ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Regional Projects

AbstractThis paper empirically examines the factors that determine the incidence and extent of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) in developing countries. Estimation results show that the incidence and extent of the CDM is greater for the developing countries with larger mitigation potential and greater capacity to manage the projects. Developing countries with faster economic growth and past experience with activities implemented jointly (AIJ) projects are more likely to host renewable energy projects, although this is not the case for other project types. The incidence and extent of foreign investment projects in energy efficiency, CO2reduction and non-CO2gas reduction projects are higher for the countries with lower per capita GDP, most likely due to capital constraints. There is no evidence that the number of sub-regional projects impinged on investment flows. Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa appear to face special obstacles under the CDM even after the strength of institutions and energy-related mitigation opportunities are accounted for.

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Failures & generic recommendations towards the sustainable management of renewable energy projects in Sub-Saharan Africa (Part 2 of 2)

Renewable Energy ◽

10.1016/j.renene.2017.06.002 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 113 ◽

pp. 639-647 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Eugene C.X. Ikejemba ◽

Peter C. Schuur ◽

Jos Van Hillegersberg ◽

Peter B. Mpuan

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Sustainable Management ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Energy Projects ◽

Sub Saharan

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Effect of Financial Development on Energy Diversification in Sub-Saharan Africa

Journal of Energy Research and Reviews ◽

10.9734/jenrr/2020/v4i330129 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 29-38

Author(s):

Florence Blanche Limi

Keyword(s):

Financial Development ◽

Poverty Reduction ◽

Wiener Index ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Energy Sources ◽

African Countries ◽

Energy Projects ◽

Moments Method ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Generalized Moments

The objective of this paper is to analyse the effect of financial development on energy diversification in 20 sub-Saharan African countries between 2000 and 2015. Our specificity is the calculation of the energy diversification index using the Shannon Wiener index (Stirling 1998-2000) and the estimation using the generalized moments method (GMM) on a dynamic panel. The results show that financial development positively and significantly affects the diversification of energy sources. Thus, these countries need to improve their financial systems to promote energy sources diversification to improve access to energy and improve the process of financing energy projects as a response to poverty reduction.

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RTS,S/AS01, a vaccine targeting pre-erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum

Emerging Topics in Life Sciences ◽

10.1042/etls20170101 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 1 (6) ◽

pp. 533-537

Author(s):

Lorenz von Seidlein ◽

Borimas Hanboonkunupakarn ◽

Podjanee Jittmala ◽

Sasithon Pukrittayakamee

Keyword(s):

Protective Efficacy ◽

Age Groups ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Phase Iii ◽

European Medicines Agency ◽

Older Children ◽

Pivotal Phase ◽

Malaria Epidemiology ◽

Maximum Benefit ◽

Sub Saharan

RTS,S/AS01 is the most advanced vaccine to prevent malaria. It is safe and moderately effective. A large pivotal phase III trial in over 15 000 young children in sub-Saharan Africa completed in 2014 showed that the vaccine could protect around one-third of children (aged 5–17 months) and one-fourth of infants (aged 6–12 weeks) from uncomplicated falciparum malaria. The European Medicines Agency approved licensing and programmatic roll-out of the RTSS vaccine in malaria endemic countries in sub-Saharan Africa. WHO is planning further studies in a large Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme, in more than 400 000 young African children. With the changing malaria epidemiology in Africa resulting in older children at risk, alternative modes of employment are under evaluation, for example the use of RTS,S/AS01 in older children as part of seasonal malaria prophylaxis. Another strategy is combining mass drug administrations with mass vaccine campaigns for all age groups in regional malaria elimination campaigns. A phase II trial is ongoing to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the RTSS in combination with antimalarial drugs in Thailand. Such novel approaches aim to extract the maximum benefit from the well-documented, short-lasting protective efficacy of RTS,S/AS01.

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