News

The ECOWREX Spatial Data Infrastructure is the section on the ECOWAS Observatory for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECOWREX) that contains spatial data and applications for sustainable energy planning and data sharing. Released recently by ECREEE, the ECOWREX SDI offers now ECOWREX users a platform to explore, visualize, extract, download and share geospatial information. This 60 minutes webinar will introduce the ECOWREX SDI and its contents to potential stakeholders in charge of energy planning in ECOWAS member states.

Despite the considerable potential for an accelerated use of renewable energy-based mini-grids, opportunities for income generation and social and environmental benefits, progress continues to be hampered by a number of key barriers and bottlenecks. Many countries still lack sufficient technical capacities to install, operate and maintain the systems, the regulatory framework to attract project developers, and access to financing to bring sufficient scale. UNIDO’s access to energy projects aim to address these issues, yet the evidence suggests that there is no unique business model that can easily and universally be replicated and scaled-up. This report takes stock of the current experience, and draws interim conclusions on the lessons learnt, and provides guiding recommendations for designing energy access projects.