The International Energy Agency (IEA) is holding its Africa Energy Efficiency Policy Training Week in Accra from 20-23 October. Co-hosted by the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition of Ghana, and with support from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the African Union Energy Commission (AFREC), it marks a key milestone in the IEA's growing work on energy efficiency with African countries.
The training week brings together policy makers and energy professionals from nearly 20 countries across the continent to share experience and expertise in energy efficiency policy and to understand the role efficiency can play in meeting energy security, affordability and sustainability goals in emerging and developing economies.
"Delivering energy efficiency progress in Africa is the fastest, most affordable way to expand energy access, strengthen economies and build a sustainable energy future for all across the continent." said Brian Motherway, Head of the IEA's Office of Energy Efficiency and Inclusive Transitions. "The IEA has worked closely with countries across Africa to develop the expertise require for effective policy making on energy efficiency. These Training Weeks help to strengthen that knowledge base between countries and support continued momentum in this critical area."
Ghana serves as a leading example in Africa for advancing ambitious energy efficiency policies. It was among the first countries to ban second-hand appliances and restrict imports of products that fail to meet Minimum Energy Performance Standards, preventing the inflow of outdated and inefficient technologies. Complementing these efforts, Ghana has introduced comprehensive measures to promote clean cooking and e-mobility to tackle energy access issues and support electrification.
"Energy efficiency is a central pillar in Ghana's Mission 300 Energy Compact, complementing renewable energy expansion by reducing overall demand, improving system reliability, and maximising the value of every unit of energy produced," said Ghana's Minister of Energy and Green Transition John Abdulai Jinapor. "The Training Week provides a unique opportunity for us, the policymakers, energy efficiency practitioners, experts, and those prepared to learn and adopt energy efficiency measures to exchange knowledge, ideas, and practical tools to accelerate the implementation of energy efficiency policies across the continent."
The IEA has convened 20 training weeks since 2015, working with more than 3,000 energy efficiency professionals and leading to over 1,000 new energy efficiency policies in participating countries. The training weeks form part of the IEA's Energy Efficiency in Emerging Economies Programme and are carried out with funding from the Agency's Clean Energy Transitions Programme. The events aim to help build a community of experts so that energy efficiency remains an important component of national energy strategies.
