Page 5 - AfrElec Week 47 2020

AfrElec COMMENTARY AfrElec

the 2-GW Gulf of Suez Red Sea Wind Project,
which will be located in the governorate of the lagging policy and infrastructure, and poor
Red Sea. procurement. However, as electricity demand
Of the capacity to be installed, 500 MW will increases, many African nations are turning to
be developed by German giant Siemens Gamesa renewable solutions to meet energy targets, with
and 1,500 MW remains to be awarded. solar overtaking wind in the next five years as
Four out of the top 10 projects to be devel- the renewable technology of choice,” says Gaurav
oped in Africa in the next five years will be in Metkar, analyst at Rystad Energy.
Egypt, underscoring the country’s government’s
commitment to its renewable goals. Decarbonisation
Morocco follows Egypt in terms of the quick While the country’s larger economies can push
pace of installations with 2.5 GW of installed ahead with utility-scale wind and solar projects,
capacity, dominated by 1.7 GW of wind power. other renewable technology, such as distributed
Rystad Energy expects solar will drive the power supplies, pay-as-you-go solutions and off-
growth there, with a handful of large projects grid technology, is also needed in the continent’s
already in the works such as the 1-GW Noor rural and slum areas to improve access-to-power
Midelt Hybrid (CSP + Solar PV), the 400-MW rates.
Noor PV II, and the 120-MW Noor Tafilalet. Furthermore, better regulatory regimes and
Ethiopia’s capacity numbers will also take a government support is needed to attract new
huge leap: The county currently has only 11 MW private investors, building on the commitment
of installed solar capacity and close to 450 MW of various multilateral development institutions
of installed wind, but is anticipated to have 3 GW (MDIs) led by the African Development Bank
of renewable capacity online by 2025. (AfDB).
The Tigray Hybrid Project will drive this Renewables also need to compete with a dirty
increase and is forecast to contribute at least 500 and emissions-intensive petroleum industry,
MW of solar capacity by 2025, assuming a res- and efforts by gas-rich governments to boost
olution to the current ongoing conflict by then. gas-to-power projects in countries from Tanza-
nia to Mozambique that want to harness gas to
Costs boost industrialisation.
The cost of renewables is at an all-time low now, Decarbonising Africa’s industry could prove
and as larger markets such as China, India and to be more difficult that in Europe or North
Europe are on track to reach installation targets, America, especially outside the Maghreb region
wind and solar components will become ever and South Africa.
cheaper and more easily accessed, creating a Nevertheless, harnessing Africa’s wind and
conducive environment for investment also in solar potential is a major part of government
Africa. policies across the continent and offers consid-
“Development on the continent has his- erable potential to investors keen to expand their
torically been slow due to political instability, exposure to green projects. ™

Week 47 26•November•2020 www. NEWSBASE .com P5