According to Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM)”- state-owned energy company which deals with the generation, transmission, distribution and sale of electricity, in 2018 the country's electrification rate using energy from the national grid stood at 31%. This means that the country will have to ensure the remaining coverage over the next seven years. On the other hand, the reported statistical access may not be reflected at end-user level, since poverty is also an impediment to accessing energy, even where it is already available.

In the past decade Renewable energy increasingly became a viable option for increasing access to energy in many places, particularly in rural Mozambique, and for promoting productive uses in the agricultural sector.

“Given that UNIDO's mandate is restricted to technical-normative cooperation actions, we have been promoting initiatives in line with the implementation of our mandate, which is to promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization”. –Mr. Jaime Comiche, UNIDO’s representative in Mozambique

Here are UNIDO’s 7 interventions in the promotion of SDG 7 “ in Mozambique;

1. Implementation and demonstration of mini-hydro power plants in the provinces of Niassa and Zambézia with a total capacity of 3.5MW (2012)

2. Cleaner Production and Resource Efficiency project (2012-16), with a focus on decarbonization and efficiency of energy use in production units in the hotel and hospitality value chain.
3. Implementation of the Towards sustainable energy for all in Mozambique (TSE4ALL-M) project: promoting the market-based dissemination of integrated renewable energy systems for productive uses in rural areas”, which seeks among other results, to demonstrate the technical and commercial viability of renewable energy systems in the productive sector, including agriculture and the agri-food industry

4. Promoting technical and regulatory support to government, business or producer associations and academia, enabling access to knowledge, technology and financing appropriate to achieving SDG7, with special emphasis on access to sustainable energy for productive purposes.

5. Adapt, test and demonstrate technological or regulatory solutions for access to energy for productive purposes, or energy efficiency, so that they can be adopted and replicated in the country.

6. Supporting national institutions to defend the interests of the national and sectoral development agenda in global forums, for example: UNIDO in Mozambique facilitated the decisive steps to insert in the 'Maputo Declaration, of the Energy Ministers of the A.U. (05 November 2010)', the proposal to submit to the UN GA, the adoption of the year 2012 as the 'International Year of Universal Access to Energy';

7. Between 2012 and 2013, UNIDO led, on behalf of the UN, the efforts for the Government of Mozambique to formalize adherence to the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) mechanism.

Derived from an interview with UNIDO's representative, Mr. Jaime Comiche conducted by RTP Africa. Watch the full interview HERE