ECOWAS RENEWABLE ENERGY FACILITY SEEKS INTERNATIONAL FUNDING

Based on the action plan of the ECOWAS/UEMOA White Paper on Energy Access ECREEE prepared a proposal for the establishment of an ECOWAS Renewable Energy Facility for West Africa. The initiative responds to action line 2 of the white paper which calls for the establishment on an investment and innovation fund for RE&EE. The fund should raise finance at least for 200 demonstration projects and support local manufacturing and service companies.

The ECOWAS Renewable Energy Facility will be managed by the ECREEE Secretariat in cooperation with its National Focal Institutions (NFIs) and aims at the creation of a favourable business and investment environment for the deployment of small and medium scale RE technologies and services for peri-urban and rural areas.

Based on competitive call-for proposals the Facility will mitigate financial barriers by providing risk capital for project development through the co-funding of (pre-) feasibility studies and other pre-investment related activities (e.g. potential assessment, measurements). Moreover, the facility will support business development activities (e.g. preparation of business plans), capacity building for local RE&EE technology and service companies and facilitate north-north and south-south economic partnerships.

The ECREEE Secretariat will undertake regular demand-driven competitive call for proposals open to all ECOWAS countries. Eligible applicants will be private companies, municipalities, and private companies, NGOs and cooperatives. The participation of local project partners will be obligatory. The ECREEE Secretariat currently seeks funding from different international partners.