Renewable energy capacity in Africa set to surge 70% in next five years
Millions of people are getting access to electricity for the first time as the continent turns to solar, wind and hydropower projects to boost generation capacity
Strong demand is set to give a huge boost to renewable energy growth in sub-Saharan Africa over the next five years, driving cumulative capacity up more than 70%, a senior international energy official said on Wednesday. From Ethiopia to SA, millions of people are getting access to electricity for the first time as the continent turns to solar, wind and hydropower projects to boost generation capacity. "A big chunk of this [growth] is hydro because of Ethiopia, but then you have solar … in SA, Nigeria and Namibia, and wind in SA and Ethiopia as well," said Paolo Frankl, head of the renewable division at the Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA). He forecast installed capacity of renewable energy in the sub-Saharan region almost doubling from about 35GW now to more than 60GW, given the right conditions. Ethiopia has an array of hydropower projects under construction, including the $4.1bn Grand Renaissance Dam along the Nile River that will churn out 6,000MW upon completion. T...
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