Meno di un minuto

Since 2000, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has seen rapid economic growth, expanding population, improving social conditions and progressive political liberalization. On the basis of these trends, SSA energy use has risen by 45% since 2000.

In this framework, making energy reliable and widely affordable for the population has been and continues to be a key challenge in the sub-continent. Efforts to promote energy access are gaining momentum all over the sub-continent, but are outpaced by population growth. In order to meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal of universal energy access by 2030, substantial investments will be needed in both on-grid and off-grid energy solutions. New energy financing schemes might also be needed to foster investments.

Notwithstanding the importance and size of these challenges, SSA’s energy sector remains one of the most poorly understood parts of the global energy system. In this context, the project aims to contribute to the understanding of SSA’s current and future energy challenges and opportunities. In particular, the project will explore the potential for a joint development of both renewable energy technologies and natural gas to ensure an economically-efficient and reliable solution of both the challenges of energy access and environmental sustainability.