Renewable Energy in Africa: Mali Country Profile

This renewable energy country profile is a knowledge product derived from the SREP IP, with the objective of showcasing the renewable energy status of Mail, development options, and opportunities and constraints.
Mali has been selected as one of the six countries to benefit from the Scaling-Up Renewable Energy Program in Low Income Countries (SREP). The rationale behind this choice is, on the one hand, the nature and scope of the climatic, environmental, demographic and energetic problems Mali faces, and, on the other hand, the significant efforts government has already made to meet key energy challenges. The SREP Expert Group’s report highlights in particular: (1) low rural access to electricity, (2) a sound institutional base for solar photovoltaic (PV) implementation, (3) a positive track record in developments to date, (4) a potential for productive use of energy in agriculture and small commercial entities; and (v) sustainable biomass and biodiesel programs in place. A SREP Mali Investment Plan (IP) has been prepared under the leadership of the Government of Mali, represented by the Ministry of Energy and different specialized national agencies. It is a country-led program, in line with key strategies of the national energy sector, as well as with the main principles of the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper and the National Climate Change Strategy. It proposes a coherent, programmatic approach for transformational change and promotes both public and private sector operations to remove barriers that might prevent scaled-up investments.