ИСТИНА

The development and strengthening of the concept of sustainable development contributes to the increase of renewable energy (RE) sources role in the global energy sector. In African countries with high potential resources of renewable energy, development of renewable energy resources is an important factor of social and economic development of these countries, increase of energy and economic independence, as well as a lever to overcome the spatial heterogeneity of the population’s access to electricity, improve ecological conditions and fight against deforestation. The report reviews renewable energy resources and the plans of Sub-Saharan Africa Countries for their development, as well as the support of international environmental and financial organizations for renewable energy development in this region. The 2012 UN Initiative “Sustainable Energy for All” and the Initiative of 19 countries of East and South Africa at the IREDA Assembly in Abu Dhabi in 2014 of “Africa Clean Energy Corridor” are considered. The typology of Sub-Saharan countries is performed based on the analysis of the status and government plans for RE development. A detailed analysis of the current state and future plans for the development of RE sources in the two largest countries of East Africa - Kenya and Ethiopia is presented. The renewable energy development in the region is associated with high investment risks and requires international financial and technical support. Risk factors include: significant geospatial and temporal variability of wind and solar energy, high costs of exploratory drilling for geothermal resources with a probability of negative results, instability of political regimes and corruption, lack of qualified staff, technical illiteracy of a country’s population.