Accelerating the green transition and energy access Partnership with Africa

Specific Challenge

This action responds to the Joint Communication for a Comprehensive Strategy with Africa adopted on 9/3/2020, which highlights that innovation is key to enable African countries to pursue sustainable pathways to development through a low-carbon, climate resilient and green growth trajectory, leapfrogging fossil fuel technologies. It will contribute to the present R&I Partnership on Climate Change and Sustainable Energy of the EU/AU High-Level Policy Dialogue on Science, Technology and Innovation that is expected to strongly contribute to Action 1 of the Comprehensive Strategy with Africa.

The African continent has an enormous renewable energy potential which just began to be harnessed successfully. The adoption of innovative, affordable and efficient renewable energy solutions will support Africa in achieving sustainable development growth and economic transformation.

Africa still faces major challenges related to ensuring access to energy for all and beyond, to the development of its industrial base to create much-needed jobs. In line with the Africa-Europe Alliance for sustainable investment and jobs, the EU-AU R&I Partnership on Climate Change and Sustainable Energy aim to support the development of sustainable energy solutions appropriate to the African context that will address these challenges.

Scope

Actions should demonstrate innovative sustainable energy solutions that consider climate adaptation and mitigation potential compared to other technologies/solutions in the African social, economic and environmental contexts. The solutions may address:

development of renewable energy sources, including solutions for off-grid communities, and their integration into the existing energy system, considering the generation of renewable energy, the transmission, and the use of storage/battery systems.
energy efficiency

Expected Impact

The demonstrators should provide evidence of the following short-term expected impacts:

technologically reliable and economically viable solutions;
proven positive environmental, health, climate, social and economic impacts of the renewable energy solutions, by putting in place measures and mechanisms in line with the highest European Environmental and Social standards (see ESIA procedure), and taking into consideration the upcoming taxonomy principles and mechanism;
climate adaptation and climate mitigation potential of the solutions compared to other technologies/solutions;
strengthening of the joint EU-AU Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Partnership efforts, with emphasis on improving the visibility of EU Science Diplomacy actions in Africa.

The following medium term impacts are expected:

creation of new market opportunities for both European and African companies on the African continent;
technological uptake on the African continent;
acceleration of the achievements of the African continent’s targets of the Paris Agreement, in line with Europe’s Green Deal ambition of climate neutrality, and its external dimensions.

Longer term impacts expected: