Gilda Christina Rodrigues

The Netherlands is known for its windmills, as one of the forerunners in sustainable energy. This article will discuss what measures implemented in the Netherlands, which caused them to become a giant in the global sustainable energy initiatives, which could be possible lessons for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to apply. Discussing sustainable energy is an important topic for the West African region since access to energy in the region is one of the lowest in the world, with an rate of just 42 percent enjoying access.

So why not just discuss simply energy? but sustainable energy. Access to energy seriously stagnates the region’s economy, however climate change poses as well a threat to the region’s economy. Thus, not only is it a priority to provide everyone access to energy, but this also has to be done in a sustainable way, to prevent the climate from worsening even more.

Reconsidering stakeholders

Solid fuels such as wood and charcoal have a bigger impact on climate, these fuels are largely used in the West African region mostly, 85%, while cooking, causing these fuels to have mainly an impact on the health of women and children. The latter is a motive for women to be one of the main targets in the adaptation of sustainable energy solutions in the region.

The Dutch government seeks to implement most of the responsibility with local companies to promote low carbon energy. In the Netherlands, businesses are offered opportunities to invest in sustainable energy, with several sustainable energy investment grants, so businesses can make sustainable energy investments such as heat pumps, solar water heating systems, biomass boilers, and pellet stoves.

In the Netherlands, businesses are offered opportunities to invest in sustainable energy, with several sustainable energy investment grants, so businesses can make sustainable energy investments such as heat pumps, solar water heating systems, biomass boilers, and pellet stoves

One way the Dutch government has to attract businesses to use sustainable solutions is implementing several energy subsidies and taxes. Two prime examples of the Dutch situation are the  energy and investment deduction (EIA), where businesses can deduct 45,5% of investments made in business assets that are mentioned on the Energy list. Second is the environment investment deduction (MIA), which allows businesses to deduct 36% of their taxes over investments made from purchases from assets from the Environmental list. Providing businesses with options that are sustainable, and cheaper is an invaluable tactic to make sustainable options attractive to companies.

In the Netherlands, businesses are offered opportunities to invest in sustainable energy, with several sustainable energy investment grants, so businesses can make sustainable energy investments such as heat pumps, solar water heating systems, biomass boilers, and pellet stoves.

In the West African region, women are the main target to implement sustainable changes, considering the large use of solid fuels while cooking, however targeting business, small as well as large should not be neglected, since this might as well have a great impact on local use of sustainable solutions. As well while targeting women for change in the use of solid fuels, other options should be made affordable and attractive, for individual as well as to companies on a macro scale.

Financing Sustainable Energy

Implementing sustainable energy as the norm is not possible without substantial financing, an example from the Netherlands supports companies to make sustainable choices by offering a deduction of the taxes over sustainable options. However, the Netherlands is still behind on its European target with the production of sustainable energy.

Implementing sustainable energy as the norm is not possible without substantial financing, an example from the Netherlands supports companies to make sustainable choices by offering a deduction of the taxes over sustainable options

Several professors of various universities in the Netherlands wrote an open letter to the Dutch government, requesting to make the Netherlands the main producer of sustainable energy as they are the most acquainted with their country’s potential. What is remarkable is that they mention that the government should invest more and mention a sum of 200 billion euros in the country’s green energy infrastructure.

What makes their demand remarkable is that this sum is a remarkable higher sum than the investments being made in the ECOWAS sphere, which is at 800 million USD, for a territory of 300 plus million people, the Netherlands is a country of only 17 million people.

Implementing sustainable energy as the norm is not possible without substantial financing, an example from the Netherlands supports companies to make sustainable choices by offering a deduction of the taxes over sustainable options.

Thus, the financing of sustainable energy in the ECOWAS region has to be raised and prioritized by every country in the region. Six countries are leading with their investments, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sierra Leone, and where the sum is not consistent through the years. A report of the ECOWAS shows a variance from 23,3 million USD to 370 million USD between 2008-2013.

A recommendation for the ECOWAS would be to invest properly in sustainable energy, where the financial burden would be divided equally between countries guided by their GDP

A recommendation for the ECOWAS would be to invest properly in sustainable energy, where the financial burden would be divided equally between countries guided by their GDP.

ECOWAS’ Efforts

Aside from the lesson’s ECOWAS can implement to improve sustainable energy efforts, it should be first acknowledged for the serious efforts already made. In sub-Saharan Africa, the ECOWAS has been a pioneer in developing a regional sustainable energy framework, as well as providing its member states with guidance to adapt and create renewable energy.

A recommendation for the ECOWAS would be to invest properly in sustainable energy, where the financial burden would be divided equally between countries guided by their GDP.

One other benefit that the West African region has over the Netherlands is its geographical situation which allows the region to produce and use hydropower. The Netherlands is nearly completely below sea level which does not allow the Netherlands to use or produce hydropower.

Conclusion

Considering the treat climate change poses to the world, and the growing demand for energy, sustainable energy is becoming a priority in every region of the world. In the West African region, access to energy remains low, and remains an obstacle for economic development. Producing sustainable energy is therefore a priority for the region.

The main lessons the ECOWAS can take away from the Netherlands’ model first to not only think small when considering the stakeholders in the adaptation of sustainable solutions on a societal level, but target companies by making sustainable solutions attractive to them. The third lesson is to increase and equally divide the investments in sustainable energy between the 15 ECOWAS countries. Last is to not take for granted its geographical position and fully explore the production and usage of hydropower. Sustainable energy usage should be the region’s primary future source of energy in order to reduce the impact of climate change in the region.

 

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Photo: Euractiv.fr