Local Action for Energy Sustainability: A Review of Policies’ Impact

Abstract Energy sustainability in practice demonstrates the need to scale down the focus from the national to the local level. The literature proposes different models and policies for implementing sustainable energy solutions in communities. In this chapter, the authors review the policy competencies of local governments and propose a new model for transition to energy sustainability in communities, learning from different initiatives. The study confronts this model with lessons learned in transitioning to energy sustainability in four sub-Saharan African countries: Ghana, Nigeria, Mozambique and Senegal. The main findings are countries made significant efforts to improve energy access in rural communities with renewable energy systems and to improve the efficiency of energy use in urban communities. However, prerequisites such as investment in the network infrastructure and in planning tools, especially at the scale of municipalities, continue to impede progress in access and transition to energy sustainability.