This report defines approaches for the development of standardized baselines in CDM projects on off-grid power generation in sub-Saharan Africa. Standardisation allows for baseline establishment and additionality demonstration for project types in a defined geography, rather than on a project-by-project basis. Standardisation thereby facilitates access to climate finance or carbon markets.

Two-thirds of the population in sub-Saharan Africa lives in scarcely populated rural areas without access to an electric grid. In many of these regions grid connections are prohibitively expensive. The development of decentralized energy generation facilities is often the most viable option to secure access to energy.

UNDP has taken the lead in advancing the “bottom-up” energy agenda within the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) initiative, including scaling up decentralized, off-grid solutions. To facilitate access to carbon finance, UNDP is funding an assessment of standardization opportunities for rural electrification projects in Sub-Saharan Africa.