Republic of the Congo
With a cumulative score of 0.73, Republic of the Congo ranks number 104 among emerging markets and number 133 in the global ranking.
- Emerging markets
- Middle East & Africa
0.83 / 5
Power score
0.51 / 5
Transport score
Buildings score
Only 56 markets (28 emerging markets) are scored on the Buildings sector. See the full list on the methodology page.
Low-carbon strategy
Net-zero goal and strategy
Congo does not yet have a net-zero goal or strategy.
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC)
The country submitted its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) ¬– its plan to achieve the goals set out in the Paris Agreement – to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in December 2021. This lays out an ambition to lower Congo’s greenhouse gas emissions by 21% by 2030 versus anticipated levels in a business-as-usual scenario, with the savings coming from the energy, industrial, agriculture, waste and forestry sectors. With international financial and technological support, Congo says it could reduce its emissions further – by 32% by 2030 versus a business-as-usual scenario.
Fossil fuel phase-out policy
Congo does not have a fossil fuel phase-out policy.
Power
Power policy
Congo does not have any clear policies on promoting renewable energy. There are no tenders specific to renewable energy.
Power policies
Power prices and costs
Tariffs in the country are determined by consumption bands, and prices are negotiated with the government, ensuring that tariffs reflect actual costs. Power prices are not subsidized by the government and fossil fuels are now taxed after exemptions were canceled in 2022.
Power market
Congo’s energy market is primarily composed of natural-gas-fired plants. There are also some hydro plants and a small number of oil plants. National utility Energy Electrique du Congo, known as E2C, is the only retailer for electricity produced on-grid. Independent power producers (IPPs) may also sell power directly to customers, but there are only two active IPPs.
Installed Capacity (in MW)
Electricity Generation (in GWh)
Utility privatisation
Which segments of the power sector are open to private participation?
Wholesale power market
Does the country have a wholesale power market?
Doing business and barriers
Congo’s national electrification rate is 49.5% and peak power demand sits at 550 megawatts. The country is aiming for 95% electricity access in urban areas and 60% access in rural areas as part of its sustainable development goals by 2030.
IPPs can sell electricity to customers and are taxed at 1% of annual turnover, but the rules on interconnection are not clear. Offtaker risk is extremely high in Congo because the public national utility has been in a dire financial situation.
Congo’s grid is in need of maintenance, but there are no plans in place due to a lack of resources.
Currency of PPAs
Are PPAs (eg. corporate PPAs and all other types) signed in or indexed to U.S. Dollars or Euro?
Bilateral power contracts
Can a C&I (Commercial and Industrial) customer sign a long-term contract (PPA) for clean energy?
Fossil fuel price distortions - Subsidies
Does the government influence the wholesale price of fossil fuel (used by thermal power plants) down through subsidies?
Fossil fuel price distortions - Taxes
Does the government influence the wholesale price of fossil fuel (used by thermal power plants) up through taxes or carbon prices?
Transport
EV market
The government has yet to implement any substantive policy support in this sector and the electric vehicle market remains at an early stage.
EV policy
The government has yet to implement any substantive policy support in this sector and the electric vehicle market remains at an early stage.
Transport policies
Fuel economy standards
Does the country have a fuel economy standard in place?
Buildings
Buildings market
The climate in the Congo means the focus is on cooling rather than heating buildings. There is a lack of substantive policy support to improve the energy efficiency and carbon intensity of such efforts, meaning the market remains at an early stage.
Energy efficiency policy
Does the country have a national energy efficiency plan?
Energy efficiency policy
Are there minimum energy performance standards for buildings?
Energy efficiency incentives
Is there access to loans or grants for energy efficiency measures (i.e. Wall or loft insulation or double glazing)?
Buildings policy
The climate in the Congo means the focus is on cooling rather than heating buildings. There is a lack of substantive policy support to improve the energy efficiency and carbon intensity of such efforts, meaning the market remains at an early stage.
Buildings policies
Additional insights
from BNEF
Explore more detailed information on global commodity markets and the disruptive technologies driving the transition to a low-carbon economy.
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