With the rise in fuel prices, global insecurity and climate degradation, renewables present the least cost and sustainable option for power generation. Regional energy access, energy security and climate objectives cannot be achieved in the coming decades without significant investment in renewable energy.

In the last decades, a broad range of proven decentralized and centralized Renewable Energy technologies and solutions have been developed that could cater for the demands in urban or rural areas of West Africa. The ECOWAS/UEMOA White Paper on access to energy services for populations in rural and peri-urban areas recommended that at least 20% of new investments in electricity generation should originate from locally available renewable resources, to achieve self-sufficiency, reduced vulnerability, and achieve sustainable environmental development.  By developing concrete programs and projects at national and regional level, ECREEE aims at ensuring increased use of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, small-scale hydro, and bioenergy for the provision of access to energy services in the ECOWAS region.

As stated in the ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy, the Member States have set a clear target to increase the share of renewable energy in the region’s overall electricity mix to 19% in 2030. With large hydro included, the share should reach about 48% in 2030. Around 25% of the rural ECOWAS population will be served by mini-grids and stand-alone systems by 2030.

Currently, grid connected renewable energy amounts to approximately 4,9 GW in terms of installed capacity and approximately 3 GW in terms of operational capacity. The overall RE installed capacity is expected to grow significantly over the next decade given the various investments that are currently ongoing in the Member States.