AFRICA
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Almost 100 million people in Africa have gained access to electricity in recent years
Almost 100 million people in Africa have gained access to electricity in recent years
Africa is traditionally viewed as an energy-deficient region. How close is this belief to reality? Which regions of the continent are most in need of energy infrastructure? Abel Didier Tella, Director General of the Association of Power Utilities of Africa (APUA), addressed these issues in an interview with the Global Energy Association.
Africa is traditionally viewed as an energy-deficient region. How close is this belief to reality? Which regions of the continent are most in need of energy infrastructure? Abel Didier Tella, Director General of the Association of Power Utilities of Africa (APUA), addressed these issues in an interview with the Global Energy Association.
According to Dr. Kevin Kariuki, Vice President, Power, Energy, Climate Change & Green Growth, African Development Bank, in 2019, the African Development Bank reported that an additional 96 million African households had gained access to electricity between 2015 and 2019 and between 2019 and 2024, this trend has been sustained.
Despite this encouraging progress, almost 590 million Africans still lack electricity access, according to the International Energy Agency and achieving universal access goals under SDG7 still requires greater and swifter efforts to meet the demands of Africa’s growing population.
As you know, Northern African countries have nearly achieved universal access.
For sub-saharan counties :
West African countries are in good track.
Southern African countries driven by some countries known as power houses are progressing as well.
It appears that the least energy developed sub-regions are East and Central Africa. With big infrastructure projects taking shape across East Africa, developing a reliable power sector is now more important than ever.
In Central Africa, from Chad to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Central African Republic (CAR), countries are stepping up initiatives to overcome this energy poverty. Gabon and Equatorial Guinea have reached 90 % electrification rate. Some countries as Rwanda and Kenya are targeting universal access for 2025-2030.
Globally, in all sub-Saharan Africa counties, the gap between urban and rural electrification is being bridged with the combined efforts of all the governments and the partner institutions (Multilateral and bilateral Investment institutions: AfDB, World Bank, EU, KFW, JICA, MCC, USAID-Power Africa, working groups of Africa-Russia summits, and Forum of China-African Cooperation etc.).
The off-grid generation has been developing in Africa since end of the 70s, but it began with diesel generation. It is to say that the off-grid generation is not so new for African countries. The most populous country in Africa, Nigeria, has initiated several solar power projects to improve electricity access, particularly in off-grid areas. The Solar Power Naija initiative is one of the most notable, aiming to provide 5 million homes with solar electricity by 2025.
The off-grid solar generation is also promoted in many African countries. According to IRENA Renewable Energy Finance Report, Sub-Saharan African countries attracted 65% of the world’s off-grid renewable energy investments over 2007-2019, with investments concentrated especially in East Africa. Solar photovoltaic (PV) and onshore wind power consolidated their dominance of the finance landscape in 2013-2018, attracting, respectively, 46% and 29% of global investments in renewables. According to the agreed strategy of African institutions to achieve universal access, all solutions will be considered, including off-grid generation.
However, аt the previous Regional to Global conference held by the Global Energy Association in Ethiopia in February 2023 I made a point that solar energy may play an important role for supplying electricity to households in Africa, but yet for industrial purposes in different regions we need to grow the capacity of gas-fired and hydropower plants.
Currently, hydropower accounts for 17% of the electricity generation in Africa on average. In some countries, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda, and Zambia, the share of hydropower in electricity generation exceeds 80%. This share may potentially increase to more than 23% by 2040.
African countries should also explore the posibility to develop power station with small modular reactors for more practical use of nuclear power. The region could follow the example of Russia, where Rosatom built the world’s first floating small modular reactors (SMRs) and will commission two land-based small modular reactors by the end of the decade.
The great challenge of development in Africa is how to reconcile the exponential increase in population generating new demands for energy, sustained economic growth in several large mining countries and the need to develop a local processing industry for real wealth creation.
As a result, utilities are always struggling with the need to upgrade existing power lines and to build new lines with the conformity to advanced technologies. Most state-owned electric utilities in Africa today are unable to secure the financial resources needed to implement required infrastructure projects.
Despite this situation, African governments supported by donor founds have been implementing lastly many infrastructure projects to reinforce and expand the electricity networks.
Off-grid generation will reduce the cost of electrifying Africa
Off-grid generation will reduce the cost of electrifying Africa
Mini-grids and off-grid solutions play a crucial role in expanding energy access across Africa by enhancing power distribution. To address energy shortages, African countries must adopt innovative electricity generation technologies and ensure a stable supply of raw materials. However, scaling up these solutions requires strong political will, active stakeholder engagement, and strategic partnerships.
Mini-grids and off-grid solutions play a crucial role in expanding energy access across Africa by enhancing power distribution. To address energy shortages, African countries must adopt innovative electricity generation technologies and ensure a stable supply of raw materials. However, scaling up these solutions requires strong political will, active stakeholder engagement, and strategic partnerships.
Africa is rich in energy resources, including coal, solar, and other renewable options. The challenge lies in harnessing these resources sustainably. Advancements in technology present new opportunities, and the conversation is increasingly shifting towards sustainability and the transition to green energy.
Symbiosis of conventional and new energy: key to Africa’s future
Symbiosis of conventional and new energy: key to Africa’s future
The share of sub-Saharan Africans who have access to electricity rose from 26% in 2000 to 52% in 2022. The twofold increase was caused by the development of the integrated power grid, as well as the launch of new generating capacities. In the last ten years alone, the installed capacity of renewable energy facilities in Africa has almost doubled (from 33 GW in 2015 to 62 GW in 2023). Angola has become a major producer of hydropower; Kenya is now one of the world leaders in geothermal energy; and Ethiopia has brought on stream the Hydase HPP, the most powerful hydroelectric power plant in Africa, and has significantly expanded its use of biomass. Finally, Egypt is going to become the region’s second nuclear energy producer
Nothing is impossible for Africa. Energy technologies have made a big step forward, and this conference was meant to estimate the possibilities of their application in the developing world. The objective is to provide access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and state-of-the-art energy sources for all, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Efforts for the electrification of Africa are being made at a time when the cost of wind and solar energy has dropped considerably. More and more opportunities emerge for the use of electric transport, at least in African cities. Moreover, the past decades have seen a rapid rise in the efficiency of electrical appliances, including air conditioners, washing machines and refrigerators. In this regard, the reliability of the region’s power supply can be achieved rather quickly. To that end, significant government support is required, including in the development of electric transport and charging infrastructure
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