Access to renewable energy is critical to Africa’s development and growth. As evidenced by the need to reduce carbon emissions and address the impact of climate change, there is a strong push towards promoting economic diversification and value chain development while accelerating access to clean and renewable energy. This Policy Brief captures the results of UNDP’s innovative approaches to promote access to energy and energy efficiency; improve access to and quality of education and health services; deepen livelihoods and economic empowerment; and promote the development of micro and small scale enterprises that could greatly benefit from the use of renewable energy.