Liberia

Area
111,369.00 km2
Population
4,000,000.00
GDP per capita
485.00 USD
Access to electricity
9.80 %
Access to Modern Energy for Cooking
26.00 %
Electricity Production
450 GWh (2000) 100% fossil fuels

INTRODUCTION

Liberia as member state of ECOWAS subscribed and participated in the adoption of the ECOWAS policies on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RE&EE) to be implemented at the national level, and represent Liberia’s contribution to the achievement of the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) action agenda.

More than 78% of the Liberian population (approximately 3.34 million People do not have access to electricity; 86% of the population have to rely on wood, charcoal or other biomass to cook and heat their homes. A massive effort is needed to expand access to electricity and safe cooking fuels, especially in the rural and peri-urban areas identified as high-impact, offering the most potential to make rapid progress towards Sustainable Energy for All.

The major focus of the SE4ALL Action Agenda has as one of its strategic goals for the government of Liberia (GOL) use decentralized approaches to achieve energy access especially for rural populations since Liberia has made commitments to the ECOWAS policies.The vision of the government is to see that the country subscribe to the NREAP-NEEAP-SE4ALL and

  • Backdrop by Liberia’s overall development objectives of the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS)
  • The National Agenda for Transformation (AfT) objectives, and the National Energy Policy of Liberia (NEPL)
  • The Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Liberia and the goals set out in Liberia Rising 2030, Liberia’s long-term vision of socio-econimic development.

SUMMARY OF TARGETS: 

Sustainable Energy for All is about driving actions and mobilizing commitments to positively transform the world’s energy systems. The Secretary-General’s High-Level Group on Sustainable Energy for All has created a Global Action Agenda to guide efforts undertaken in support of achieving the initiative’s three objectives:

  • Ensure universal access to modern energy services;
  • Double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency; and
  • Double the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix

In order to assist in the development of SE4ALL Action Agenda programs, the Global Action Agenda was developed as framework which contains 11 Action Areas and provides a framework for identifying the high impact opportunities that will catalyze change and prompt innovation. Using this framework, the Liberian government, public, private and donor institutions and stakeholders can create their own pathways towards Sustainable Energy for All. 

ENERGY ACCESS : 

  • 40% of Liberian citizens living in rural and peri-urban areas and using traditional biomass for cooking shall have access to improved stoves and kerosene or efficient-gas cookers in order to reduce indoor pollution
  • 30% of the urban and peri-urban population shall have access to reliable modern energy services enabling them to meet their basic needs (lighting, cooking, communication, and small production-related activities);
  • 15% of the rural population and 25% of the schools, clinics, and community centers in rural areas shall have access to modern energy services to meet the same basic needs. The long-term strategy is to make Liberia a carbon neutral country by 2050
201020202030
Share of population served by electricity services (%)1.0434.2100
Share of population connected to the grid (%) (000 Persons) 0.4510.9432
Share of rural population served by renewable energy and hybrid mini-grids (%) 0.05844
Share of rural population served by standalone renewable energy systems (%)0.151535
Number of RE/hybrid mini-grids675150

RENEWABLE ENERGY : 

Measures to Accelerate Deployment of RE Technologies i.e. solar PV, solar thermal including CSP, hydro- the major source and biomass including liquid fuels

  • The Governent of Liberia shall support research, resource assessments and potential pipeline development
  • Specific policies and business models to support the pipelines and removal of barriers to development of large and small-scale renewable
  • Due consideration shall be given to questions of affordability, availability, standards, and gender mainstreaming in energy sector 
Targets for domestic cooking energy201020202030
Share of population using improved cook-stoves in % 11550
Share of charcoal produced by efficient charcoal production technologies in % 12075
Use of modern fuel alternatives for cooking (e.g. LPG, biogas, solar cookers, ethanol gel fuel, etc) - % of population1515

ENERGY EFFICIENCY: 

 Industrial and Agricultural Processes:

  • The industrial and agriculture as well as forestry operations hole enormous opportunities for energy access, energy efficiency and renewable energy.
  •  The Government of Liberia shall institute measures that include capture and recycling of waste heat, waste wood and other agricultural and industrial waste to be used for energy generation purposes

Buildings and Appliances:

  •  The Government shall introduce measures, actions and programs that include renewable selfgeneration options (e.g. rooftop solar and solar hot water). 
  •  Other Nexus impacts – including energy and health, water supply, agriculture applications, educational institutions, residences, tourism, etc.

Transportation:

  • The application of RE in the Transportation sector is mainly focusing actins made on improving and opening up roads that increase transport efficiencies of vehicles and institute measures to insure, efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles on the roads of Liberia. The use of biofuels and solar energy in transportation shall be encouraged
Baselien vs Loss reduction of Power grids in Liberia201020202030
Annual Electricity Generation (GWh)541.62,934.95,079.1
Reduction of losses for the year %020
Rate of grid losses %281810
Savings, GWH/year-293.49914.24
Percent of commercial and technical losses in Elec distribution system %282010