Policy and market drivers for clean energy investment

Meeting global energy needs and policy priorities will depend on mobilising much higher levels of capital, with higher degrees of private sector participations, for renewables, energy efficiency and flexible infrastructure—essential to achieve the Paris Agreement and other sustainable development goals. Boosting clean energy investment is a particularly urgent challenge in emerging economies (key drivers of future energy demand growth), dictated by economic development, rising incomes and ambitious electrification targets.

Policy clarity, stability and effective implementation will be critical to meet long-term energy transition goals. Attracting adequate capital at an affordable cost of finance is contingent on improving the financial and operational performance of utilities, strengthening the provision of long-term finance, and encouraging integrated approaches that take into account demand-side solutions. Additional tools to complement the energy sector transformation policy package, such as carbon pricing or other credit enhancement mechanisms, will also play an important role in facilitating the transition.

South Africa has introduced a host of clean energy transition policies to expand its low carbon power generation—including the renewable energy procurement programme, as well as energy sector wide drivers like the carbon tax policy package. Building on insights from the IEA 2019 Africa Energy Outlook and the World Energy Investment report, this event will facilitate discussions on the recent trends in global energy investment, with a focus on reliable, affordable and sustainable transitions. It will also explore the key issues that need to be addressed in sub-Saharan Africa to reduce financing costs and attract higher levels of investment in clean energy to the region, and South Africa in particular.