Mainstreaming energy efficiency today is a key strategy to shape patterns of future energy use for fast-growing economies in Africa. Likewise, energy efficiency is key to decoupling energy-related greenhouse gas emissions and economic growth in a cost-effective manner. More importantly, Energy Efficiency (EE) improvement will deliver economic growth bonus by increasing economic output per unit of energy use. As part of multiple benefits, improving domestic EE can reduce dependence on, and costs of, energy imports for an energy importing country, and free up resources for export and increases export revenue for an energy-exporting county.

Both private- and public-sector stakeholders use several energy efficiency financing mechanisms to unlock the energy efficiency potential in economic sectors. The Super Energy Services Company (ESCO) mechanism is among the innovative ones attracting significant interest from policy and decision makers.

The African continent’s infrastructure needs amount to USD130-170 billion a year, with a financing gap in the range USD 68-108 billion. Long-term energy infrastructure strategy calls for mainstreaming energy efficiency as the first fuel in most of African countries. The promotion of Super ESCOs will ensure that energy efficiency is considered and implied as an alternate resource against supply side expansion, based on comparative cost-benefit assessment.