AC

Alternating current

AREI

Africa Renewable Energy Initiative

BIPV

Building-integrated solar photovoltaics

BNEF

Bloomberg New Energy Finance

BRICS

Brazil, Russian Federation, India, China and South Africa

BRT

Bus Rapid Transit

CDM

Clean Development Mechanism

CHP

Combined heat and power

CO2

Carbon dioxide

COP21

Conference of the Parties, 21st meeting

CPV

Concentrating solar photovoltaic

CSP

Concentrating solar (thermal) power

DC

Direct current

DNI

Direct normal insolation

DRE

Distributed renewable energy

DSM

Demand-side management

EC

European Commission

ECOWAS

Economic Community of West African States

EEG

German Renewable Energy Law – “Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz“

EJ

Exajoule

EMEC

European Marine Energy Centre

EnDev

Energising Development

EPC

Engineering, procurement and construction

ESCO

Energy service company

EU

European Union (specifically the EU-28)

EV

Electric vehicle

FIT

Feed-in tariff

GACC

Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves

GDP

Gross domestic product

GEF

Global Environment Facility

GFR

Global Futures Report

GSR

Renewables Global Status Report

GW/GWth

Gigawatt/Gigawatt-thermal

GWh

Gigawatt-hour

HVAC

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning

HVO

Hydrotreated vegetable oil

IEA

International Energy Agency

IEA SHC

Solar Heating and Cooling Programme of the International Energy Agency

IFC

International Finance Corporation

INDC

Intended Nationally Determined Contribution

IPCC

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

IPP

Independent power producer

IPS

Industrial and provident society

IRENA

International Renewable Energy Agency

ITC

Investment tax credit

kW/kWh

Kilowatt/kilowatt-hour

LCOE

Levelised cost of electricity

LED

Light-emitting diode

LLC

Limited liability company

m²

Square metre

m³

Cubic metre

M&A

Mergers and acquisitions

MENA

Middle East and North Africa

MEPS

Minimum Energy Performance Standards

MSW

Municipal solid waste