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The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) announced today the opening of a new regional center in Cape Verde to help develop the renewable energy potential for West Africa.

The Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), a specialized agency of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), will help develop renewable energy and energy efficiency markets in West Africa, formulate policy, build capacity and quality assurance mechanisms, as well design financing plans.  The center will also implement demonstration projects with potential for regional scale-up.

Yoshiteru Uramoto, Deputy to UNIDO’s Director-General, notes:

The current energy systems in the ECOWAS region are failing to support the growth prospects of the over 262 million inhabitants, especially the needs of the poor.  The creation of ECREEE is a central milestone in efforts to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy and energy efficient technologies and services in the region.

Traditional biomass is already the main source of energy for the poor majority and accounts for 80 percent of total energy consumed for domestic purposes.

UNIDO has a number of projects in Africa where renewable energy sources like small hydro, biomass gasification, wind energy, solar thermal and photovoltaic energy are used to promote the development of small industries, particularly in rural areas, that contribute to growth and poverty reduction.

More on the UN’S renewable energy center.