Africa’s 375GW renewable energy capacity is mostly in concept phase – AEC

Renewable energy capacity in Africa is just over 375 gigawatts (GW), and more than three-fourths of this is currently in the concept stage, with a little over 5 percent operating, according to the African Energy Chamber (AEC).

In its State of African Energy first quarter report for 2023, it said this suggests a large potential with further upside as more operators and investors enter the continent with a clean energy and energy transition objective, but very little is currently contributing to Africa’s energy needs.

The report said close to 80 percent of the expected capacity is solar and wind.

“As hydrogen capacity picks up over the 2030s, the average cumulative solar and wind capacity is expected to be close to 75 percent of the total capacity over the period 2031–2035,” the report showed.

The continent’s current total announced renewable capacity suggests that the wind capacity, at close to 134 GW, is the largest. Almost half of this comes from Egypt, and Morocco and Mauritania add up to just over 30 percent of the total capacity. South Africa and Djibouti round off the top five countries with announced wind capacity, with a cumulative capacity of about 15.5 GW.

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These five countries account for 90 percent of the total current wind capacity in Africa. Over 75 percent of the current wind capacity is still in the concept phase, and only about 7 percent is operating, in line with the overall announced renewables capacity.

Solar in Africa takes the second spot after wind, with the current announced capacity at 120 GW. Solar announced capacity too, similar to wind capacity in Africa, is led by Egypt with 27.86 GW capacity, Morocco with 22.11 GW capacity, and Mauritania with 13.315 GW capacity.

These three countries add up to over 50 percent of the current announced solar capacity in Africa. Nigeria and South Africa, with 11.1 GW and 9.97 GW capacity, respectively, round off the top five countries in Africa with respect to announced solar capacity,” it revealed. “Close to 96.3 GW is in concept phase now, and about 10.75 GW is operating.”

Africa’s current total announced electrolyzer pipeline capacity is 112 GW, with about 40 percent of this tied to countries in North Africa. The continent’s potential goes beyond the north, however, with Sub-Saharan Africa hosting numerous prospects for green hydrogen developments.

“This region has an announced electrolyzer pipeline of about 68 GW, with Mauritania claiming over 50 percent of this total, followed by South Africa and Namibia,” the report said.