The energy transition in Cabo Verde is currently a national priority and essential for the country’s sustainable economic development and in the fight against climate change. Luxembourg is committed to supporting Cabo Verde’s energy transition, focusing on the promotion of renewable energy and energy efficiency, and dedicating the best available resources to strengthening the sector’s capacity and governance framework. In this context, the Energy Transition Support Program (TE), funded by Luxembourg Cooperation, aims to support the efforts of the Government of Cabo Verde to consolidate the country’s energy policy, ensuring access to affordable energy for all and promoting sustainability.
Increasing energy production from renewable sources and gradually reducing dependence on fossil fuels are key pillars of the TE Program. This transition in the energy matrix makes it possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the electricity sector, which has historically relied on thermal power plants fueled by petroleum derivatives. Additionally, it will allow Cabo Verde’s economic development to benefit from cheaper and more sustainable energy.
To support this shift, the Program carries out the necessary preliminary studies for the preparation of solar and wind projects, as well as projects aimed at modernizing and expanding grid infrastructure to better manage the intermittent nature of renewable energy sources.
Significant work has been done to introduce energy storage services and the provision of ancillary services, which will be essential to meet the country’s renewable energy targets—more than 50% by 2030.
The efforts undertaken also aim to create favorable conditions for the entry of new independent power producers, through competitive bidding processes provided for in the renewable energy sector’s basic law and close technical follow-up. The Program promotes the local generation of renewable energy for self-consumption, which has been the fastest-growing market niche over the past five years.
Energy efficiency (EE), in turn, plays an important complementary role by reducing energy consumption and system losses, avoiding unnecessary emissions, and improving the sector’s sustainability. In this area, the Program supports the implementation of building codes and urban planning that incorporate EE principles. At the market level, work is being done to promote private sector offerings, including the development of energy service companies (ESCOs), training of specialized technicians in energy audits, and strengthening institutional capacity to regulate and oversee these activities.
These actions are supported by ongoing efforts in institutional strengthening, including legal framework review and capacity building of key actors, promoting the use of modern digital solutions, and involving universities, research centers, and private operators. This is an inclusive cooperation approach, attentive to territorial and social inequalities, aligned with the National Program for Energy Sustainability (PNSE 2021–2026), which reaffirms Cabo Verde’s commitment to decarbonizing its economy by 2050.
The Energy Transition Support Program thus acts as a catalyst for achieving a low-carbon economy, strengthening energy security, and promoting sustainable development throughout the country.
Julia Bez-Batti
Technical Assistant of the Energy Transition Program