By Claire Moraa
- In the last decade, Africa’s renewable energy capacity jumped from 32.54 GW to 62.10 GW—a 91% increase
- Despite the surge, Africa’s average electrification rate is still below 50%
The growth of solar power companies in Africa is a significant development with the potential to address the pressing issue of access to electricity on the continent. Still, even with remarkable steps in the past decade—renewable energy capacity surged to 62.10 Giga Watts, the electrification rates are extremely low. Over 640 million Africans have no access to electricity. To put it into perspective, Africa is home to 20% of the world’s population and is the most energy-deficient continent.
Why This Matters: From a wider lens, electricity is not just good for powering homes. Lack of reliable electricity not only limits opportunities for education, healthcare, and economic growth but also hinders the overall development and well-being of communities. In African rural areas, lack of electricity forces these communities to rely on firewood and charcoal which has far-reaching effects on the environment. With time, if this situation goes unaddressed, it will disrupt the ecosystem. The longer it takes to lay down a sustainable energy infrastructure, the further we stray from achieving global climate goals.
On an economical standpoint, Africa already loses 4% of its GDP annually due to the lack of access to clean energy. But this should not dumb down the efforts solar companies have made so far. These companies have ensured Africans in undeserved areas have access to energy by providing off-grid energy solutions now powering over 10 million home systems. The solar energy market in electricity generation is projected to reach 1.39tn kWh in 2025. This means the cost will also significantly come down making it more accessible and affordable to both consumers and businesses.
What’s Next: By scaling up solar energy infrastructure, expanding access to affordable and clean electricity, and fostering innovation in the renewable energy sector, it is possible to make significant strides towards achieving universal energy access and sustainable development goals in Africa. The goal is to triple the capacity for renewable power generation by 2050.
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