Browsing: Renewable energy in Africa

• Existing scientific research in Africa’s renewable energy transition often overlooks certain dispatchable technologies that could enhance grid flexibility.
• Studies primarily focus on zero-carbon dispatchable technologies like concentrated solar power and geothermal, despite their limitations in efficiency, reliability, and cost.
• Balancing engine power plants, which are globally recognized for their flexibility, reliability, and cost-effectiveness, are notably absent in these analyses, despite their potential to run on clean fuels in the future.

It is no longer disputed that solar and wind power will be the foundation of Africa’s future energy systems. They are perfectly suited to the continent’s unique conditions and are already the most cost-competitive power option in almost all cases. This consensus spans academia, businesses, and policymakers who all recognize the potential of renewable energy to meet Africa’s growing needs sustainably.

They also readily acknowledge the intermittent nature of renewables, and the associated need for flexible power capacity within the …

• Chronic instability plagues the existing power grids, worsened by the pressing need to connect growing populations.
• The advent of renewable energy sources introduces new complexities, considering the intermittent nature of solar and wind power generation.
• Wärtsilä Energy says deploying battery storage and flexible engine power plants offers a pathway toward reliable grid resilience.

Across economies in Africa, a profound transition is underway. Increasingly, economies are grappling with the dual challenge of meeting burgeoning energy demand while steadily transitioning towards sustainability, a scenario amplifies the importance of economies having reliable power production.

Wärtsilä Energy, a giant power plant manufacturer and energy systems integrator in Africa, is coming forward to offer insights on how economies can easily navigate this transition. Drawing insights from the 2024 North and West Africa Energy Transition Forum in Rabat, it is evident that addressing the complexities of grid reliability and renewable energy integration requires a multipronged approach.…

• Masdar, UAE’s renewable energy company, signs agreement with Angola’s Ministry of Energy and Water at COP28 to develop solar plant in southern Angola.
• Project will create up to 600 jobs and deliver clean energy to 90,000 homes in region with significant electricity supply challenges.
• The agreement signed at COP28 demonstrates Masdar’s commitment to just energy transition in Africa and around the world.

Masdar, one of the world’s leading renewable energy companies, has announced plans to develop a major 150 megawatt (MW) solar PV project in Angola to deliver renewable energy to 90,000 homes while creating hundreds of jobs, spurring economic growth, and cutting carbon emissions.

As global leaders engaged in climate negotiations at the UN’s climate change conference COP28 in Dubai, Masdar – the UAE’s clean energy powerhouse – signed a concession agreement with Angola’s Ministry of Energy and Water to build and operate the ground-mounted solar power project in …

Africa’s e-mobility is gaining momentum, largely driven by the daunting climate change crisis, fueling the need to decarbonize transport systems. African countries remain in pursuit of e-mobility solutions and advancement to low-carbon economies. Africa’s endowment with minerals key to the global green transition offers a significant advantage.…

• Africa is heavily dependent on fossil fuels, which not only contribute to climate change, but also make the continent vulnerable to price fluctuations in the global oil market.
• Renewable energy projects in Africa, such as solar and wind power, are starting to gain momentum and are showing great promise as a solution to these challenges.
• Investing in renewable energy in Africa not only helps to address these challenges, but also brings a host of benefits.

As the world continues to shift towards a more sustainable future, Africa is emerging as a key player in the renewable energy sector. With vast stretches of land and abundant sunshine, Africa has the potential to harness the power of the sun and wind to generate electricity, creating economic opportunities and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

Currently, Africa’s energy sector faces significant challenges. Many countries in the region lack access to electricity, with nearly 600 …

As the largest economy in Africa, with huge gas reserves and high solar energy potential, Nigeria has all the natural resources necessary to meet the growing demand for electricity. However, the inadequate energy infrastructure still leaves a significant part of the population without power or relying on oil-fired back-up generators. If Nigeria can improve its energy infrastructure and unlock its gas-to-power generation potential, it paves the way to integrating low-cost renewable energy, bringing electricity and development opportunities to rural villages, driving industrial growth and employment, and increasing prosperity across the country.

There is no doubt that gas has an important role to play in meeting Nigeria’s electricity demand, but to achieve this, there is an urgent need to reform the gas and electricity sectors. The poor condition of the gas transmission and distribution system is a major constraint as domestic supply shortages and insufficient pressure severely affect the reliability of …

Africa needs cumulative investments of $2.6 trillion between 2019 and 2040 to meet the rising energy demand and provide more accessible facilities to citizens as the continent’s population expands report shows.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) released its Africa Energy Outlook 2019 report, in which it said that Africa is experiencing the fastest progression of urbanisation in the world. While accounting for half of the global increase, the report said that Africa’s overall population is projected to expand by 600 million before 2040.

According to the report, the shifts will drive the continent’s economic growth, infrastructure development and energy demand, which is predicted to rise by 60 per cent.

“While this energy gap remains a significant barrier to Africa’s sustained economic development, it inversely presents several opportunities for many African nations such as current advancements in the liquefied gas (LNG) market, potential for realising onshore value, while simultaneously driving …