Africa’s Green Energy Future: Leading the Renewable Transition

Africa's Green Energy Future

By Darius Spearman (africanelements)

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Africa's Climate Leadership

African nations are stepping up to lead the global fight against climate change. They aim to create a new model for green investments and sustainable development (aljazeera.com). This comes even as the United States, under President Donald Trump, has withdrawn from the Paris climate agreement and ended clean energy partnerships with African countries, including South Africa (france24.com).

Despite being hit hard by climate change impacts like landslides, floods, and droughts, Africa is seeking a united voice ahead of global climate talks. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed emphasized that African leaders are not negotiating their survival. Instead, they are designing the world's next climate economy (aljazeera.com). He believes Africa can be the first continent to industrialize without harming its ecosystems if the right choices are made now. This vision includes significant investments in carbon capture, renewable energy, critical minerals for green technology, and food production (aljazeera.com).

The Impact of U.S. Withdrawal

The Trump administration's decision to withdraw from clean energy partnerships and dismantle USAID has created significant challenges for Africa's energy landscape (context.news). USAID, the U.S. Agency for International Development, was the primary U.S. foreign aid agency. It played a crucial role in global development and humanitarian efforts (future-energy-partners.com). Its dismantling was part of efforts to cut federal spending (context.news).

A key initiative affected was Power Africa, a U.S. government-led program launched in 2013 (carnegieendowment.org). Power Africa aimed to increase electricity access and support energy projects across Africa, especially in sub-Saharan Africa (carnegieendowment.org). It sought to advance economic growth, health, and education by expanding electricity generation and access (carnegieendowment.org). Since its start, Power Africa received $1.2 billion from the U.S. government, funding over 150 energy projects and generating 15,498 megawatts (MW) of power for 216 million people (context.news). The dismantling of USAID and the withdrawal of U.S. support could delay or cancel initiatives focused on off-grid renewable energy solutions and rural electrification, hindering progress toward universal energy access (future-energy-partners.com).

Power Africa’s Achievements (2013–2023)

Select outcomes reported prior to the U.S. funding withdrawal decision.

New/Improved Generation Capacity
15,498 MW
Grid + off-grid projects

People Reached with Electricity
216M
Connections & reliability improvements

U.S. Government Funding
$1.2B
Direct U.S. support 2013–2023

Projects Supported
150+
Utility-scale & distributed energy

Power Africa reports 15,498 MW enabled, service for ~216M people, $1.2B in U.S. funding, and 150+ projects (2013–2023).
Source: context.news

Africa's Renewable Potential

Despite the U.S. withdrawal, Africa is poised to become a global leader in clean energy (aljazeera.com). The continent possesses vast untapped wind and solar power resources, more than any other continent (aljazeera.com). A United Nations report from July highlights that Africa has 60 percent of the world's best solar resources (aljazeera.com). This massive potential is due to its deserts and warm climate.

Countries like Morocco, Kenya, and South Africa are already making significant progress in renewable energy development (aljazeera.com). They are harnessing solar, wind, geothermal, and hydropower (aljazeera.com). Solar power will be crucial in meeting Africa's growing electricity demand, especially with the rise of new electricity-intensive industries like renewable hydrogen and e-mobility (globalsolarcouncil.org). The European Union is also keen to support green hydrogen and other renewable energy projects in Africa as it diversifies its long-term energy supply (africa-confidential.com).

Addressing the Energy Gap

Despite its immense potential, Africa received only 2 percent of global clean energy investments in 2024 (aljazeera.com). This is a stark contrast to the continent's needs, as 600 million people still lack reliable access to electricity (context.news). African leaders committed in January to increase renewable energy capacity to 300 gigawatts by 2030 (aljazeera.com). This amount of power is equivalent to the output of about 114 large power stations, enough to power a large city or a small country (aljazeera.com).

The International Renewable Energy Agency projects that 90 percent of Africa's power could come from renewables, including solar, by 2050 (aljazeera.com). This includes various sources like hydropower and wind energy, which countries like South Africa are already incorporating into their energy mix (aljazeera.com). The economic and social impacts of improved energy access are profound. It means better power supplies for schools, clinics, households, farms, and businesses (context.news). This expansion supports economic growth, health, and education across the continent (carnegieendowment.org).

Africa’s Energy Access Challenge

Key gaps in electricity access and investment flows (2024).

People lacking reliable electricity
600M
Mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa

Share of global clean energy investment
2%
Africa’s portion in 2024

~600M people lack electricity; Africa received only 2% of global clean energy investment in 2024.
Source: context.news, aljazeera.com

The Rise of Solar Power

Solar power is rapidly gaining traction across Africa. Recent analysis of Chinese export data shows a significant increase in solar panel exports to Africa over the last 12 months (aljazeera.com). Imports from China rose by 60 percent in the last year, reaching 15,032 megawatts (aljazeera.com). Twenty African countries set a record for solar panel imports in a 12-month period (aljazeera.com).

While South Africa's imports initially drove this surge due to its prolonged electricity crisis, solar panel imports from other African countries have tripled in the last year (aljazeera.com). Independent energy companies are increasingly viewing Africa as a vital market for solar products. They are working to meet the continent's growing energy needs (aljazeera.com). This trend highlights Africa's commitment to clean energy, even in the face of external policy shifts.

Chinese Solar Panel Exports to Africa — Last 12 Months

Total imported capacity and year-over-year change.

Total Imports (12 months)
15,032 MW
Panel capacity equivalent

Increase from last year
+60%
Year-over-year growth

Imported capacity
15,032 MW of 20,000 MW scale

Year-over-year change
+60%

Africa imported ~15,032 MW of Chinese solar panels over the last 12 months, up about 60% year-over-year.
Source: aljazeera.com

The Path Forward for Africa

African leaders are calling for more climate finance, which they say must be fair, significant, and predictable (aljazeera.com). Despite being among the most vulnerable to climate change, African countries receive only 1 percent of the annual global climate financing (aljazeera.com). They argue that the vulnerability caused by climate change, debt burdens, and structural inequalities in the international financial system must be addressed through climate justice (aljazeera.com).

Kenyan President William Ruto expressed concern about the weakening of the multilateral approach to tackling climate change (aljazeera.com). He noted that commitments are often broken, and international solidarity is dismissed as weakness, even when the climate crisis demands greater cooperation (aljazeera.com). Despite these challenges, Africa remains committed to its green energy transition. The continent is determined to forge its own path toward a sustainable future, leveraging its abundant natural resources and growing partnerships with other global actors.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darius Spearman has been a professor of Black Studies at San Diego City College since 2007. He is the author of several books, including Between The Color Lines: A History of African Americans on the California Frontier Through 1890. You can visit Darius online at africanelements.org.