The ECOWAS region has adopted ambitious sustainable energy and energy access objectives that must be attained between 2020, to 2030 and by 2050 horizon at most. The goal is to exploit the vast renewable energy potentials in the West African region possesses, to utilize the current energy resources we have in more efficient manner, and to ensure universal energy access. 

The region is however far from attaining envisaged regional sustainable energy targets, as the current energy access rate to the national grid and mini grid combined is less than 50% of the population in ECOWAS Member States. Hence the need to promote the deployment and distribution of off-grid energy systems such as clean energy mini-grids and stand-alone solar systems. These technologies will help to rapidly increase electricity access rates. 

In terms of the share of renewable energy in the overall energy mix, West Africa is currently at 26%, including the development of large hydropower plants, which is 35% below defined target by 2020 and 48% by 2030. As far as energy efficiency is concerned, the region is still experiencing electricity losses of almost 40% due to poor infrastructure for generation, transmission, and distribution. As a result, additional 10% technical and commercial losses will be accumulated by 2030. 

With the ECOWAS region is committed to diversifying its energy resource availability, improving energy security, and leapfrogging towards a low-carbon future. To this end, ECREEE has a crucial role in working with ECOWAS Member States, regional and international partners, including the private sector, to mobilise the required financing mechanism opportunities to scale up investment in the ECOWAS sustainable energy sector. Over the next decade, the goal is to foster investment opportunities, facilitate public-private partnerships, and advocate for a conducive enabling environment that will ensure the regional sustainable energy targets are attained by 2030 and 2050. 

To date, ECREEE, with support of ECOWAS Member States, and partners, has developed the following regional sustainable energy policies: 

• ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy
• ECOWAS Energy Efficiency Policy
• ECOWAS Gender Mainstreaming in Energy Access Policy
• ECOWAS Bioenergy Policy
• ECOWAS Green Hydrogen Policy and Strategy Framework

ECREEE is currently supporting ECOWAS Member States to effectively implement these regional policies at their respective national levels. 

The objective of ECREEE’s Sustainable Energy Policy and related programmes and project activities is to create a conducive enabling environment for the uptake of clean energy technologies and to facilitate a robust sustainable energy market that will ensure the regional sustainable energy targets are attained by 2030. This approach will ensure that the ECOWAS region diversifies its energy resource availability, improves energy security and access, and leapfrogs towards a low-carbon energy future that is consistent with regional and international sustainable energy and climate objectives and agreements. 

Regional

• Develop RE & EE Laws, Policies and Regulations
• Support design of procedures and evaluation of tender documents for RE auctions
• Develop of guidelines for and promotion of distributed generation
• Design net-metering schemes
• Develop or revise PPAs standards for utility-scaling of RE power generation projects
• Support to energy Regulators regarding appropriate feed-in-tariffs (FiTs) and guidelines

Completed

• Supported the first solar PV IPP tender (5 projects) in Burkina Faso (improvement of draft PPA, draft concession agreement and draft sovereign guarantee)
• Tendered 3 solar PV projects in Mali (development of evaluation methodology, support during evaluation)
• Developed a framework for self-generation of renewable energies in mali
• Developed the “IPP framework” for Cabo Verde, following amendment of RE Law – IPP tenders now standard procedure for procurement of RE capacity.
• Supported the operationalization of the net-metering (distributed generation) segment of the 2011 RE decreto-lei (RE law) for Cabo Verde
• Established Renewable Energy Law and implementing decrees in Togo
• Supported to the Ministry of Energy (MoE) in developing Solar PV EPC tender documents as well as EPC and O&M Contracts in Sierra Leone
• Supported the formulation of RE and EE decrees of the 2016 Electricity Code in Niger
• Developed a framework for RE self-generation in Niger
• Supported to CRSE in determining the tariff for the sale of electricity surplus from renewable sources in Senegal
• Enhanced contractual documents (PPA, concession agreement) and formulated network connection agreement (NCA) for solar and biomass IPPs in Benin
• Supported to national utility (SBEE) during negotiations with IP; and developed Renewable Energy implementing decrees in Benin
• Harmonized contractual documents developed by ECREEE and those developed by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)/ Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) in Benin
• Enhanced PPA and supported the formulation of the NCA for solar PV IPP in The Gambia.
• Facilitated the concessioning of 6 small hydro power plants (improving PPA and concession agreement)

Ongoing

• Development of 2 Directives on BESS Frameworks: Regulatory and Institutional and Environmental and Social
• Develop RE & EE Laws, Policies and Regulations
• Support design of procedures and evaluation of tender documents for RE auctions
• Develop of guidelines for and promotion of distributed generation
• Design net-metering schemes
• Develop or revise PPAs standards for utility-scaling of RE power generation projects
• Support to energy Regulators regarding appropriate feed-in-tariffs (FiTs) and guidelines

• Create a conducive enabling environment for the uptake of clean energy technologies and a robust sustainable energy market that ensures that the regional sustainable energy targets are attained by 2030 and 2050. 
• Support the diversification of the ECOWAS region’s energy resource availability, improved energy security and access, based on low-carbon energy technologies.