SIERRA LEONE ENERGY TRANSITION AND GREEN GROWTH PLAN

Sierra Leone's Energy Transition and Green Growth Plan outlines a Low Carbon Development (LCD) scenario to reach 100% electrification and clean cooking access by 2040. The plan emphasizes a shift from fossil fuel dependency—particularly diesel in mining and transport—toward hydropower and solar PV. Key targets include expanding power capacity to 4.5 GW by 2050 and integrating the mining sector into the national grid by 2030. The transition is estimated to require approximately 39 billion USD in total capital investment by 2050, with the transport sector accounting for the largest share. The plan also integrates social objectives, such as the 'Feed Salone' strategy for food security and the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act (GEWE) to ensure a just transition for women and youth.

• Sierra Leone aims for universal electricity and clean cooking access by 2040, requiring a power infrastructure of 440 MW in mini-grids and grid reinforcements for access, and approximately 4.5 GW of hydro- and solar-based grid power by 2050.
• The Low Carbon Development (LCD) scenario is projected to reduce energy sector emissions by 41% compared to the Business-as-Usual (BAU) scenario, with emissions peaking in 2045 at over 4 million tonnes.
• Total capital investment needed to drive green economic growth until 2050 is estimated at approximately 39 billion USD, with the transport sector requiring the most at 24 billion USD (61% of total capital investments).
• The power sector's transition under the LCD scenario will be driven by hydropower and solar PV, with installed capacity reaching 4.7 GW by 2050 (73% renewables), including 2.1 GW of large hydropower and 1.97 GW of solar PV.
• To support the 'Feed Salone' strategy for food security, agricultural electricity demand is projected to rise from 0.3 MW in 2020 to 36 MW by 2028, primarily to power post-harvest processing facilities.
• The mining sector, currently heavily reliant on diesel, is targeted for full integration into the national grid by 2030 to reduce operational costs and carbon emissions.
• The transport sector is expected to shift toward electrification, with a significant transition in 2/3 wheelers, buses, and passenger cars by 2050, though heavy trucks will remain reliant on traditional fuels longer, potentially shifting to biofuels by 2040.
• Clean cooking access is currently very low at 1% of the population; the plan targets 100% access in urban households by 2040, utilizing a mix of LPG, biofuels, and electric cooking.
• The energy transition is projected to double energy-sector related jobs to 29,117 by 2050 under the LCD scenario compared to 14,650 under BAU.
• The plan recommends establishing a Centralized Cross-Ministerial Coordination Body (CCB) and a dedicated energy planning unit within the Ministry of Energy to ensure the governance and implementation of the green growth roadmap.

APA

Sustainable Energy for All (n.d.). SIERRA LEONE ENERGY TRANSITION AND GREEN GROWTH PLAN. https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2025-02/SEforALL-Sierra-Leone-etip-report-FV-2-webversion.pdf

Chicago

Sustainable Energy for All. SIERRA LEONE ENERGY TRANSITION AND GREEN GROWTH PLAN. n.d. https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2025-02/SEforALL-Sierra-Leone-etip-report-FV-2-webversion.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Sustainable Energy for All |title=SIERRA LEONE ENERGY TRANSITION AND GREEN GROWTH PLAN |url=https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2025-02/SEforALL-Sierra-Leone-etip-report-FV-2-webversion.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sustainableenergyforallndsierra, author = {{Sustainable Energy for All}}, title = {{SIERRA LEONE ENERGY TRANSITION AND GREEN GROWTH PLAN}}, institution = {Sustainable Energy for All}, url = {https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2025-02/SEforALL-Sierra-Leone-etip-report-FV-2-webversion.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }