The African Energy Efficiency Strategy (AfEES) – Africa’s Path to a Sustainable Future
Context
The African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) have joined forces to forge a continental approach to a fully integrated, competitive, and harmonised energy market that will and improve energy access for all African citizens and accelerate the sustainable development of the continent.
There are currently three flagship initiatives supporting African energy stakeholders:
- The African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM) aspires to become one of the world’s largest electricity markets by 2040 by enhancing access to reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity in Africa through the harmonisation of policies, legislation and regulatory frameworks at the regional and continental level;
- The Continental (Power System) Master Plan (CMP) is the “blueprint” of the AfSEM, providing the necessary infrastructure to link all national and regional Power Pools’ transmission networks and enabling intra-regional electricity trade;
- The African Energy Efficiency Strategy (AfEES) and Action Plan, currently under development, seeks to explore and define the role of energy efficiency technology in the energy mix of the continent, pledging to achieve a 50% increase in energy productivity by 2050.
Africa faces significant energy challenges, with over 600 million Africans in particular in rural areas lacking access to electricity. Rapid urbanisation and population growth will triple the demand for electricity alone by 2040, while at the same time there is a huge untapped potential for renewable energy and energy saving on the continent.
Access to reliable and affordable energy is essential for sustainable development and improving the quality of life for the growing population in Africa. The continent faces various energy challenges at present, including limited infrastructure, high energy costs, policy and regulatory hurdles, a lack of skills, technological gaps as well as a lack of awareness among consumers and policymakers. The African Energy Efficiency Strategy and Action Plan (AfEES) will address the energy efficiency challenge by providing a roadmap of actions on how to reduce energy in all areas of life and business.
About AfEES
The African Energy Efficiency Strategy (AfEES) and Action Plan is led by the African Energy Commission (AFREC), in collaboration with the Regional Centers for Rewenable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CREEE) and other energy stakeholders, and supported by the European Union's Global Technical Assistance Facility for Sustainable Energy (EU GTAF). For the first time ever, the entire African energy sector of is dealt with in one single strategy and action plan. AfEES is also fully aligned with the African Union Agenda 2063 goals and the 2030 Agenda (Sustainable Development Goal 7 Energy).
Its vision is to “establish a sustainable, efficient and inclusive energy system that benefits from both the environment and the economy while ensuring universal access to energy.” The document pledges for a 50% increase in energy productivity by 2050.
In this sense, the mission is to accelerate the adoption of energy efficiency paradigms across all sectors of the economy, by fostering an enabling environment that facilitates trade and investment, and the adoption of energy-efficient technologies and practices. It involves the optimal use of energy resources to reduce waste, minimise energy losses, and increase productivity across various sectors including buildings, industry, agriculture, transport, power sector, appliances and devices, households).
The documents have been under development since 2022 and are expected to be officially endorsed by the Heads of State of the African Union soon. The Action Plan will provide very practical guidance on how to put energy efficiency into practice and foresees various capacity-building activities.
AfEES will undoubtedly drive sustainable development, alleviate poverty, strengthen energy security, minimise greenhouse gas emissions, and eventually improve the resilience of African economies against climate change impacts.
It will be our blueprint for a sustainable, empowered continent, improving the quality of lives of millions of people and communities!
Energy Efficiency – what does it mean?
Energy efficiency is not only about using less energy, but about achieving the same or better results with less energy. It is the art of maximising output while minimising input. Whether it is a light bulb that shines brighter with less power or a car that travels further on less fuel, energy efficiency is our key to a sustainable future. By being energy efficient, we not only save money but also reduce our carbon footprint and overall pollution, making our planet a healthier and more resilient place to live!
So the main benefits of energy efficiency are:
- Economic benefits: help reduce energy costs (save money) for households, businesses, or industries and create new jobs
- Social benefits and improved energy access: increase access to energy for those who currently lack it
- Energy security benefits: help reduce dependence on imported energy sources and increase energy independence
- Environmental benefits: reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution
Energy efficiency is a real win-win for everybody: consuming less energy also means spending less money and using less resources, thus protecting the environment.
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