Senegal Targets Major Energy Productivity Gains Under New Efficiency Strategy

Senegal has developed a new National Energy Efficiency Strategy and Action Plan as part of an effort to improve energy productivity, reduce pressure from rising demand and introduce stronger performance standards for buildings.

The strategy was developed with support from the African Energy Commission, AFREC, and technical assistance from the European Union-funded Continental Energy Programme in Africa. It is accompanied by Energy Performance of Buildings guidelines and Minimum Energy Performance Standards adapted to Senegal.

Efficiency as energy infrastructure

Africa’s energy debate is frequently centred on how much additional generation capacity countries need. Senegal’s programme highlights the other side of that equation: reducing the amount of energy required to deliver economic activity, services and comfortable buildings.

AFREC said modelling undertaken during development of the strategy indicates that Senegal has the potential to increase energy productivity by 70% by 2050 and 100% by 2063. Those figures are modelled potential outcomes rather than energy savings already achieved.

The continental African Energy Efficiency Strategy sets ambitions of improving Africa’s energy productivity by 50% by 2050 and 70% by 2063.

Buildings move into focus

The inclusion of building-performance guidelines and minimum standards is significant as Senegal experiences urbanisation and growing energy demand. Building design, cooling, appliances and equipment can influence long-term electricity consumption, particularly as cities expand.

Senegal’s Agency for Energy Economy and Management presented the proposed strategy and related instruments to government, private-sector, financial and development stakeholders in Dakar on 10 September.

The documents are not yet the end of the process. AFREC says stakeholder recommendations will be incorporated as the strategy, action plan and building-performance instruments are refined and finalised.

Senegal is one of four countries in the first pilot phase of the continental programme, alongside Burundi, Madagascar and Zimbabwe. Lessons from the pilots are expected to inform wider application across African Union member states.

Source

• African Union / AFREC: Senegal advances its National Energy Efficiency Strategy