1 How to Respond to Energy Transitions in Africa …
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this respect, drawing from different case studies, we identify what most
of these laws and policies emphasize:
• Setting renewable energy targets
The existing renewable energy laws and policies in developing countries,
just like in many developed countries do set the future targets to be met
by a country with respect to the deployment of renewable energy and
energy efficiency. We note that in most of these countries, renewable
energies do play a significant role in the energy mix and targets are set
to increase their role. In Egypt, for instance, during 2019, the country’s
total installed capacity of renewables amounted to 3.7 gigawatts (GW),
including 2.8 GW of hydropower and around 0.9 GW of solar and wind
power. As illustrated in the Integrated Sustainable Energy Strategy (ISES),
the Egyptian government has set renewable energy targets of 20% of the
electricity mix by 2022 and 42% by 2035. These targets are close to the
IRENA renewable energy estimates for the country.
52
• Progressively shift from traditional energy to modern energy:
diversification in the energy mix
These laws also recognize the need for countries to progressively shift
from relying on traditional energy sources such as firewood and candles
to modern energy sources such as electricity. A good example is the
National Energy Policy (NEP) of Ethiopia whose objectives include,
among others, ‘to ensure and encourage a gradual shift from the use of
traditional energy sources to modern energy sources’.
• Deployment of energy efficiency technologies
Most laws and policies do promote energy efficiency technologies. In
Ethiopia, for instance, under the National Regulatory System to Ensure
Conservation of Electricity and Energy Efficiency, interventions such as
52 IRENA, Egypt Renewable Energy Outlook, 2018. Can be accessed at, https://www.irena.
org/-/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication/2018/Oct/IRENA_Outlook_Egypt_2018_En.pdf.
Last accessed on 11 April 2020.
27
this respect, drawing from different case studies, we identify what most
of these laws and policies emphasize:
• Setting renewable energy targets
The existing renewable energy laws and policies in developing countries,
just like in many developed countries do set the future targets to be met
by a country with respect to the deployment of renewable energy and
energy efficiency. We note that in most of these countries, renewable
energies do play a significant role in the energy mix and targets are set
to increase their role. In Egypt, for instance, during 2019, the country’s
total installed capacity of renewables amounted to 3.7 gigawatts (GW),
including 2.8 GW of hydropower and around 0.9 GW of solar and wind
power. As illustrated in the Integrated Sustainable Energy Strategy (ISES),
the Egyptian government has set renewable energy targets of 20% of the
electricity mix by 2022 and 42% by 2035. These targets are close to the
IRENA renewable energy estimates for the country.
52
• Progressively shift from traditional energy to modern energy:
diversification in the energy mix
These laws also recognize the need for countries to progressively shift
from relying on traditional energy sources such as firewood and candles
to modern energy sources such as electricity. A good example is the
National Energy Policy (NEP) of Ethiopia whose objectives include,
among others, ‘to ensure and encourage a gradual shift from the use of
traditional energy sources to modern energy sources’.
• Deployment of energy efficiency technologies
Most laws and policies do promote energy efficiency technologies. In
Ethiopia, for instance, under the National Regulatory System to Ensure
Conservation of Electricity and Energy Efficiency, interventions such as
52 IRENA, Egypt Renewable Energy Outlook, 2018. Can be accessed at, https://www.irena.
org/-/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication/2018/Oct/IRENA_Outlook_Egypt_2018_En.pdf.
Last accessed on 11 April 2020.