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Abstract In this paper, we explore the practices and spaces of mobile phone charging in The Gambia and Sierra Leone through the lens of 'electricity scarcity' as a means to conceptualise electricity access in West Africa. The International Energy Agency (IEA) is seen as the leading authority on the state of global energy access, and is frequently cited by government and non-government bodies. We, however, suggest that the IEA's quantitative and binary framing of electricity access is analytically problematic for understanding energy poverty. Using ethnographic methods, including observation and semi-structured interviews, we provide insights into the changing socio-technological, socio-political and socio-economic dimensions of mobile phone charging including its relationship with the built environment. Comparing mobile phone charging in The Gambia and Sierra Leone, clearly shows that the notion of absolute electricity scarcity which is promulgated by IEA statistics only offers a limited picture of energy poverty, especially at the locale. Instead, drawing on political ecology scholarship, we propose a concept of political electricity scarcity as an approach enables a more human-centred and nuanced understanding of how energy poverty operates or is mitigated through community-based structures or at a household level. By reframing energy poverty issues through this lens, we are able to illustrate the role that political economy dynamics play in shaping the electricity flows in rural Sub-Saharan Africa and who ultimately gets what kind of electricity access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving sustainable energy development in a region requires rational use of energy resources and technologies, and the development of appropriate policies. Three concerns are therefore required to achieve these issues: (i) to acquire a picture of the local current energy situation, (ii) to measure the state of development and the progress towards a sustainable energy system, and (iii) to have energy decision- and policy-makers fully aware of the implications on sustainable development of selected policies. It is in this perspective and in the frame of activities on sustainable energy for all and access to energy in developing countries carried out by the UNESCO Chair in Energy for Sustainable Development, that we developed this review. The objective of this paper is to depict the current energy situation of Africa by using the most up to date data, describing it as far as the concept of sustainable development is concerned, and to see if and how energy policies promoted by local players fit with this asset. We assess the energy situation of Africa by combining (i) data, mainly by the International Energy Agency, about national energy balances for primary and electric energy, the Energy Development Index and energy resources, with (ii) a more comprehensive analysis of the African energy system, accomplished by the Energy Indicators for Sustainable Development. An overview of the energy-related policies and action plans developed by different local players in the African continent is also carried out with the goal of providing remarks by coupling such plans with the above mentioned energy analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Nigeria is endowed with abundant energy resources, both conventional and renewable, which can potentially provide the country with a sufficient capacity to meet the ambitions of both urban and rural Nigerians of a full, nationwide electrification level. Yet, Nigeria has one of the lowest consumption rates of electricity per capita in Africa. With the demand superseding the generation, there is inequitable access of rural communities to the electricity service in the country. There are inherent obstacles militating against the effective implementation of an orderly energy policy in Nigeria. The inefficiencies overshadowing the allocation of energy resources coupled with the near depletion of fossil fuels, make it imperative for the country to exploit its huge natural renewable resources to avoid a worsening energy supply scenario and provide feasible electricity to rural dwellers. This paper presents a review of renewable energy potentials in Nigeria to be tapped for useful and uninterrupted electric energy supply. The extent of renewable energy resources is described and existing government policies are articulated. Various polices, that could possibly incentivize the realization of wider renewable energy applications in rural Nigeria, are proposed. The challenges and future prospects of renewable energy are also discussed. Dissemination of decentralized renewable energy resources will not only improve the wellbeing of rural Nigerian communities, but also enhance Nigeria's energy and economic prospects for potential global investment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This special issue has presented some of the specific findings of the RE-Impact Project which was commissioned and funded by the EuropeAid Cooperation Office from 2007 until its conclusion in 2010. The project aimed to provide impact assessment frameworks and influence relevant policies through direct involvement in bioenergy projects and policy analysis in South Africa, Uganda, India and China. The papers summarised here have covered issues related to Jatropha curcas and forest-based bioenergy in these countries. Taking an overall look at the project findings we can identify a number of general conclusions relevant for the future of bioenergy and rural development in Africa and Asia. First, only local and context-specific sustainability assessment can identify the risk and responsibilities of the different groups and the exact impact on the environment. Second, many initiatives both in biofuels and forest-based bioenergy are marred by a lack of understanding of the life-cycle financial analysis. Third, careful consideration of local physical and social conditions and the economics of the production chain can identify real opportunities for rural development using bioenergy. The current global impasse in bioenergy policies could actually be advantageous to the development of bioenergy in developing countries. Without the pressure from America and Europe to develop bioenergy systems for climate change mitigation, countries in Africa and Asia may have the breathing room to shape bioenergy systems for their own internal energy supply in an orderly fashion. However, in order to avoid environmental and social impacts it will be necessary to articulate together elements of a number of measures including market-based certification, national policy formulation, national legislation, impact assessments, sustainability planning, land use planning, research, monitoring and evaluation taking into account country and project specific sustainability criteria. Unfortunately, many of the countries in Africa and Asia where bioenergy can play an important role still lack institutional structures able to articulate this sustainable development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Poor access to electricity remains a major hindrance to the economic development in Central Africa sub-region. To address this issue the Central African Power Pool (CAPP) has been established with the vision to create and manage a regional cross-borders exchange of electricity based on the development of the sub-region's enormous hydropower potential. However, the implementation of this vision is struggling with poor visibility on information related to the potential and the state-of-the-art of the development of hydropower in the member states. The objective of this work is to review the literature and data pertaining to the potential of hydropower and state of development in Cameroon, in the perspective of full access to energy in Central Africa as targeted by CAPP. The reviewed documents include both research articles and reports of investigative works carried out in the field of hydropower by various technical commissions since 1970s. This encompasses conventional hydropower at large and small schemes, storage dams and, pumped-storage for which a comprehensive synthesis of the available data and information appears crucial. A better understanding of the current state of hydropower in the country is provided as well some policy recommendations for a hydro-based development of the power sector in the whole sub-region. It is hoped that this paper contributes to synthesising the various assessments of Cameroon's hydropower potential, so as to address the issue of lack of visibility on data and information in the sector, as this has hitherto been a handicap to the fulfilment of the pool's vision. • The present situation and upcoming development of Central Africa Power Pool is discussed. • The pivotal role of Cameroon in achieving Central Africa Power Pool's objective is highlighted. • Many large hydropower and storage plants in Cameroon might feed the Inga-Calabar power highway. • Small-hydropower and pumped-storage are showing good prospects for electrifying many remote areas in Cameroon. • A few hydropower projects are under construction while most of them are still awaiting financing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]