List of Abbreviations

AC
Alternating current
AfDB
African Development Bank
APEC
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
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
COP22
Conference of the Parties, 22nd meeting
CPV
Concentrating solar photovoltaics
CSP
Concentrating solar thermal power
CVF
Climate Vulnerable Forum
DC
Direct current
DESCO
Distributed energy service company
DFI
Development finance institution
DNI
Direct normal insolation
DRE
Distributed renewable energy for energy access
DSM
Demand-side management
EBRD
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
EC
European Commission
ECOWAS
Economic Community of West African States
EEG
German Renewable Energy Law – “Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz”
EIB
European Investment Bank
EJ
Exajoule
EMEC
European Marine Energy Centre
EnDev
Energising Development
EPA
US Environmental Protection Agency
EPC
Engineering, procurement and construction
ESCO
Energy service company
ETS
Emissions Trading System
EU
European Union (specifically the EU-28)
EV
Electric vehicle
FERC
US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
FIP
Feed-in premium
FIT
Feed-in tariff
G20
Group of Twenty
GACC
Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves
GCF
Green Climate Fund
GDP
Gross domestic product
GEF
Global Environment Facility
GFR
Global Futures Report
GSR
Renewables Global Status Report
GW/GWh
Gigawatt/gigawatt-hour
GWth
Gigawatt-thermal
HVAC
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning
HVO
Hydrotreated vegetable oil
IEA
International Energy Agency
IEA PVPS
IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme
IEA SHC
Solar Heating and Cooling Programme of the International Energy Agency
IFC
International Finance Corporation
INDC
Intended Nationally Determined Contribution
INR
Indian rupee
IPCC
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
IPP
Independent power producer
IRENA
International Renewable Energy Agency
ITC
Investment tax credit
kW/kWh
Kilowatt/kilowatt-hour
LCOE
Levelised cost of electricity/energy
LED
Light-emitting diode
LLC
Limited liability company
LNG
Liquefied natural gas
Square metre
Cubic metre
M&A
Mergers and acquisitions
MENA
Middle East and North Africa
MEPS
Minimum Energy Performance Standards
MSW
Municipal solid waste
MW/MWh
Megawatt/megawatt-hour
MWth
Megawatt-thermal
NDC
Nationally Determined Contribution
NEEAP
National Energy Efficiency Action Plan
NGO
Non-governmental organisation
nZEB
Nearly zero energy building
NZEB
Net zero energy building
OECD
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
O&M
Operation and maintenance
OMC
Omnigrid Micropower Company
OPEC
Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries
OPIC
US Overseas Private Investment Corporation
PAYG
Pay-As-You-Go
PHEV
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle
PJ
Petajoule
PPA
Power purchase agreement
PTC
Production tax credit
PUC
Public utility commission
PV
Photovoltaic
PV-T
Photovoltaic-thermal
Q1
First quarter
R&D
Research and development
RFS
US Renewable Fuel Standard
RHI
UK Renewable Heat Incentive
RPS
Renewable portfolio standard(s)
SDG
Sustainable Development Goal
SEforALL
United Nations Sustainable Energy for All initiative
SHIP
Solar heat for industrial processes
SHS
Solar home system(s)
SIDS
Small-island developing states
SME
Small and medium-sized enterprise
SWH
Solar water heater/heating
T&D
Transmission and distribution
TES
Thermal energy storage
TFC
Total final consumption
TFEC
Total final energy consumption
toe
Tonne of oil equivalent
TPES
Total primary energy supply
TW/TWh
Terawatt/Terawatt-hour
UN
United Nations
UNDP
United Nations Development Programme
UNEP
United Nations Environment
UNFCCC
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
UNIDO
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
USAID
US Agency for International Development
USD
United States dollar
VAT
Value-added tax
VRE
Variable renewable energy
W/Wh
Watt/watt-hour
yieldcos
yield companies
ZEV
Zero-emission vehicle