With the exception of Central Africa, wind power is now produced on a large scale in all parts of the continent, with an installed capacity of 9 GW. According to a recently published report, this capacity is set to jump by 900% over the next few years.
Wind power capacity is on the rise in Africa. Djibouti has just commissioned its first 60 MW wind farm near Ghoubet Bay. Djibouti joins other East African countries that are diversifying their electricity mix with wind power. Kenya is undoubtedly East Africa’s leading wind power producer, with wind farms at Lake Turkana (310 MW) and Kipeto (102 MW).
Africa has an installed capacity of 9 GW thanks to 86 projects. This capacity is set to jump by 900% over the next few years to 86 GW, according to a new report published recently by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC). In all, the report lists 140 wind power projects under development across Africa.
Towards a boom thanks to the new hydrogen sector
One of the main growth areas for wind power is North Africa, particularly Egypt, where most of the projects are concentrated in the Gulf of Suez, despite the foreseeable impact on wildlife, especially migratory birds. Then there’s southern Africa. Most of the wind farms built in this sub-region are located in South Africa, where the energy transition is underway, despite the resurgence of load shedding.
Read also- DJIBOUTI: the country’s first wind farm inaugurated near Ghoubet Bay
Central Africa remains the continent’s worst performer, despite its potential estimated at over 2,500 GW according to the GWEC report. Currently, only 0.2% of Africa’s technical potential (over 33,500 GW) is exploited. “This report sends a clear message: Africa is embarking on the energy transition, and a collaborative approach is needed from all stakeholders to lead the way. The large pipeline of wind energy projects outlined in the report is at risk in the absence of policy intervention, innovative financing models and supply chain localization,” explains Wangari Muchiri, Director of Africa WindPower, a GWEC initiative.
However, wind power capacity is set to grow further with the development of the hydrogen industry in Africa. In several countries, investors are negotiating concessions for the large-scale production of this energy to power electrolysers. A case in point is the Emirati energy company Masdar, which intends to invest $10 billion in the construction of a 10 GW wind power complex. Among the African countries that will be converting wind power into hydrogen by 2030 are South Africa, Mauritania, Djibouti and Namibia.
Jean Marie Takouleu
