AREI

Africa Renewable Energy Initiative

REGIONAL CONSULTATIONS

AREI is in the process of conducting Regional Consultations in each of the five African regions. A first consultation was held in N’djamena, Chad for Central Africa on 26-28 April 2018. The report from the meeting is available here.

The second consultation was held in Nairobi, Kenya for the East Africa region on 10-11 July 2018. The report from the meeting is available here. Further information about the consultation is available on the special website set up for the event.

The third consultation was held in Cairo, Egypt for the North Africa region on 8-9 October 2018. Presentations from the meeting are available here. Reports, presentations and other information are available on the special website set up for the event. The report can also be downloaded here (English) (French).

The fourth consultation was held in Windhoek, Namibia for the Southern Africa region on 29-30 November 2018. Presentations from the meeting are available here. Reports, presentations and other information are available on the special website set up for the event. The report is forthcoming.

The dates for the Consultation for West Africa are not yet determined.

INTRODUCTION TO AREI

(Video 3.40 min)

Voices on AREI

President of Guinea Alpha Condé

Akinwumi Adesina

Khaled Fahmy

Elham M.A. Ibrahim

Youba Sokona

Tobias Bischop-Niemz

Tasneem Essop

Lidy Nacpil

Lawrence Agbemabiese

Godwin Ojo

Augustine Njamnshi

Dale Wen

AREI DOCUMENTS

The AREI Framework Document and Action Plan provide the basis and strategic direction for the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative.

Framework document
Action plan
Summary document
AREI Criteria
AREI Progress report
AREI Brochure
AREI Presentation

COMMUNIQUES

Communications issued by H.E. Professor Alpha Condé, President of the Republic of Guinea, Coordinator of renewable energies for Africa and Chair of the AREI Board.

For One Planet Summit
11 Dec 2017
From fifth meeting of the
Board of Directors
January 2018
For International Solar
Alliance Summit
11 March 2018
Sixth meeting of the board of directors

SIXTH MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The sixth Board meeting was held in Nouakchott, Mauritania on 1 July 2018 and unanimously agreed on the selection of the permanent Director of the Independent Delivery Unit, the implementing agency of the Initiative.

The permanent Director is, in accordance with the Board’s instructions for the recruitment and agreed terms of reference, a citizen of an African country, with well-established qualifications in terms of expertise in relevant subject matters to AREI, who possesses strong leadership qualities and has a solid track-record on engagement with multiple stakeholders.

Following the successful approval of the AREI Governing Instrument in the previous meeting, the Board furthermore acknowledged the need to finalise the transition to permanent hosting of AREI which is to be resolved by the next Board meeting.

The following documents were presented at the sixth Board meeting:

FIFTH MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The fifth meeting of the Board of Directors of the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI) was held on 27 January in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on the margins of the African Union Summit.

The Board meeting achieved concrete results and approved the following documents:

About AREI

The Africa Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI) is a transformative, Africa-owned and Africa-led inclusive effort to accelerate and scale up the harnessing of the continent’s huge renewable energy potential. Under the mandate of the African Union, and endorsed by African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC), the Initiative is set to achieve at least 10 GW of new and additional renewable energy generation capacity by 2020, and mobilize the African potential to generate at least 300 GW by 2030.

The AREI is firmly anchored in the context of sustainable development and climate change. It shows how low to zero carbon development strategies can be achieved in African countries through climate finance and means of implementation according to the principles of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It recognizes the critical importance of rapid expansion of energy access for enhanced well-being, economic development and the fulfilment of all Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals

The overall goals of the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative are to:

  • Help achieve sustainable development, enhanced well-being, and sound economic development by ensuring universal access to sufficient amounts of clean, appropriate and affordable energy.
  • Help African countries leapfrog to renewable energy systems that support their low-carbon development strategies while enhancing economic and energy security.

Implementation phases

The immediate establishment phase (2015 to mid-2016): Formal initiation of the AREI activities, including resource mobilisation, establishment of the governance and management structure and identification of Phase I projects that will be in the pipeline by mid-2016.

Phase I (2016-2020): In cooperation with bilateral and global partners, assessments, preparations and critical enabling activities at the continental African level as well as in a number of pioneering countries. Achievement of at least 10 GW new and additional generation capacity.

Phase II (2020-2030): Ambitious, full-scale roll-out of nationally determined policies, programmes and incentives as initiated under Phase I. Continuous project identifications, assessments and revisions for further scaling up to at least 300 GW new and additional generation capacity of renewable energy.

Guiding principles

According to its guiding principles, the AREI will:

  • Contribute to achieving sustainable development in Africa by scaling up and accelerating the deployment and funding of renewable energy in Africa.
  • Address the entire African continent and benefit all African countries.
  • Boost intra-regional and international cooperation and promote and support only those activities and projects that are agreed by the countries concerned and impacted.
  • Promote all kinds of renewable energy technologies – in particular solar; wind; pico-, micro-, small- and medium-scale hydro; modern biomass; geothermal; and marine – provided they are socially and environmentally appropriate, gender-sensitive and in line with these guiding principles.
  • Promote the full range of renewable electricity applications, from grid-connected to mini-grids to small stand-alone systems, as well as other forms of energy, with particular consideration being paid to applications that meet the needs of poor people.

Strategic focus and work areas

The AREI Action plan identifies specific activities under five Core Work Areas and four Cross-cutting Work Areas, all of which complement and build on work by other relevant stakeholders. These range from helping interested governments strengthen policy, regulatory, support and incentives frameworks to providing project development and support that ends with the financing of RE projects. A detailed Action Plan describes these nine elements in detail.

Transformational change

The AREI recognizes that the scale of African energy challenges is enormous, but so are the opportunities. Transformational change is both needed and possible, and must be stimulated by truly collaborative international efforts and goodwill. By fostering partnerships, bringing together existing initiatives, and mobilizing new international support for secure, distributed and people-oriented energy systems of the future, the Initiative will help African countries gain access to cleaner energy to drive their development and prosperity.

Work areas

CORE WORK AREAS

  • Mapping of renewable energy policies, regulations, experiences and programmes
  • Strengthening of policy, regulatory and support frameworks
  • Capacity mobilization and building
  • Mobilization of finance for incentives and investment
  • Project development and support

CROSS-CUTTING WORK AREAS

  • Socio-economic and environmental assessments of renewable energy technologies
  • Multi-stakeholder engagement
  • Wider context monitoring and assessment
  • Communications and outreach

LEAPFROGGING TO THE ENERGY SYSTEMS OF THE FUTURE

The AREI envisions smart, distributed energy systems that can handle a mix of renewable energy generation. With a highly diversified ownership base compared to that of conventional, centralized energy systems, a vast number of households, communities, cooperatives, small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as larger companies, become both producers and consumers of electricity. This will enable Africa to leapfrog to the energy systems of the future.

ENERGY FOR DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTIVE SECTORS

The Initiative highlights the fact that as well as ensuring appropriate electricity access for households and families, access needs to be sufficient to also drive the productive sectors in both local and national contexts for job creation, economic development and increased resilience. This includes addressing the needs of small-scale farming and micro, small- and medium-scale enterprises in terms of both quantity and quality of access, and entails a vision of electricity access beyond the bare minimum requirements for households.

PEOPLE-CENTRED ENERGY

For poor people, increased access to energy means a potential for improved livelihoods. The Initiative will therefore promote unprecedented efforts to reach populations currently off national grids. It will plan for expanded access to electricity for social services as African societies develop social security provisions and other means of improving welfare for their populations over the coming decades.

Joint statement on Advancing of the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative

In a Joint Statement of support to advance the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United States of America, United Kingdom, EU and Sweden committed on 7 Dec 2015 to mobilize at least USD 10 billion USD cumulatively from 2015-2020. The Netherlands later joined the group.

Minutes of previous meetings of the Board of Directors

First meeting of the Board of Directors
Addis Ababa, 29 January 2017

Second meeting of the Board of Directors
Conakry, 4 March 2017

Third meeting of the Board of Directors
Addis Ababa, 2 July 2017

Fourth meeting of the Board of Directors
New York, 22 September 2017

Fifth meeting of the Board of Directors
Addis Ababa, 27 January 2018

Summary from Technical meeting on AREI contributions

Conakry, 2-3 March, 2017

This meeting gathered the countries committing to USD 10 bn in support of AREI at COP21 as well as AREI Board members and IDU, to deliberate how the contributions could be provided in line with AREI principles and criteria.

AREI Progress Report

The AREI Progress Report shows what has been achieved by the AREI and its Drafting Team/interim Independent Delivery Unit during 2016.

Download Brochure

Click to download the AREI Brochure in pdf format.

Download Summary Document

Click to download the AREI Summary in pdf format.

AREI Framework document

The AREI framework documents describes the initiative in detail, including context, goals and guidelines, activity clusters, elements of the implementation strategy and governance and management. It has been endorsed by the Commission of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) and the African Union Summit and constitutes the basis for the initiative. 

AREI Action Plan

The AREI Action Plan outlines concrete actions for both the first 12 months Establishment Phase and the AREI Phase I (2017-2020). The Establishment phase include operationalisation of governance and management structures, engagement with African countries and institutions, resource mobilisation, initial mapping of relevant programmes and initiatives, and consideration of initial programmes and projects to be supported. The AREI Phase I outlines activities under 5 Core Work Areas and 4 Cross-cutting Work Areas. The AREI Action Plan is a living document that will continuously evolve as the work advances. 

AREI Criteria

This document presents the AREI Criteria to be applied for assessment of attribution and eligibility/prioritization of funding. The document will help guide determination of what programmes and project can be considered under AREI, and help prioritisation of support and funding. The document was presented and discussed at the African Union commissioned Technical Working Group on Renewable Energy meeting in Cairo 11-12 July 2016, and has been further refined based on input from multiple stakeholders.