Renewable energy is poised to revolutionize Africa’s power sector, with projected capacities of 180 GW by 2030 and a remarkable 1.2 TW by 2050. As of 2022, Africa commands a substantial 23.6% share in global electricity capacity and a corresponding 23.7% in global electricity production in 2021.
Fueled by ambitious industrialization, Africa’s power demand is set to double by 2030 and surge eightfold by 2050. In response, renewables present a promising solution, leveraging Africa’s vast potential—10 TW in solar capacity, complemented by abundant hydro (350 GW), wind (110 GW), and geothermal (15 GW).
Challenges persist, with 43% of the population lacking electricity access, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. However, success stories in countries like Ghana, Kenya, and Rwanda, targeting full access by 2030, serve as guiding examples.
Notably, the commitment to net-zero emissions by mid-century involves 12 African nations, responsible for over 40% of the continent’s CO2 emissions. This underscores the urgency for sustainable energy practices, marking a transformative era in Africa’s energy landscape.
The Five Types of Renewable Energy
Renewable energy technologies serve as the catalyst for transforming natural elements—sunlight, wind, and Earth’s heat—into practical forms of energy, ranging from heat and electricity to fuel. Utilizing data from IRENA, the dashboard below highlights Africa’s energy landscape, where hydropower claims the top spot in electricity generation, succeeded by solar and wind. Leading nations in these categories include Zambia for hydropower, South Africa for solar and bioenergy, Egypt for wind, and Kenya as a standout in geothermal energy.
Notably, as of 2021, public investments predominantly gravitate towards solar, constituting 71% of renewable investments, with hydropower and bioenergy following suit. With this backdrop, let’s take a closer look at the five types of renewable energy and how they work.
Wind energy
Wind turbines exploit the kinetic energy of moving air. When wind flows over the blades of a turbine, it creates a pressure difference between the windward and leeward sides of the blade.
This pressure difference results in the generation of lift, causing the blades to rotate. The rotating blades turn a shaft connected to a generator. Inside the generator, the rotational motion is converted into electrical energy through the principles of electromagnetic induction.
Wind energy harnesses the constant movement of air caused by the sun’s uneven heating of the Earth’s surface, ensuring a continuous and replenishable resource.
Solar energy
Photovoltaic cells in solar panels utilize the photoelectric effect. When sunlight strikes the semiconductor material in the cells, it dislodges electrons, creating an electric current. This flow of electrons is harnessed as electrical energy. In solar thermal systems, mirrors or lenses focus sunlight to create intense heat.
This heat is then used to produce steam, which drives a turbine connected to a generator through mechanical rotation. Solar energy depends on the continuous emission of photons from the sun, sustaining an everlasting source of energy.
Hydropower
The mechanical energy of flowing water is converted into electricity through the use of turbines. As water flows through the turbine blades, it imparts rotational motion. This rotational motion is then transferred to a generator, where it is transformed into electrical energy through electromagnetic induction.
Hydropower is sustained by the Earth’s water cycle, ensuring a renewable source as long as there is a continuous supply of water.
Bioenergy
In the case of burning biomass, the combustion process releases thermal energy. This heat can be used directly for heating or converted into mechanical energy to generate electricity.
For biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel, chemical processes release energy that can be harnessed through combustion or other means to produce electricity. Bioenergy is renewable as long as the organic matter used for fuel is sourced sustainably and can be replenished through natural processes.
Geothermal
Geothermal power plants extract heat from the Earth’s interior. Hot water or steam from underground reservoirs is brought to the surface and directed towards turbines.
The high-pressure steam drives the turbine, converting the mechanical energy into electricity through the generator’s electromagnetic induction. Geothermal energy is sustained by the Earth’s internal heat generated from radioactive decay, ensuring a continuous and renewable source of energy.
Forging a Sustainable Future
A unique advantage for most African nations lies in the opportunity to leapfrog to renewable-centric economies, unencumbered by the extensive fossil fuel infrastructures of Europe and North America.
Under IRENA’s 1.5°C Scenario pathway, the energy transition forecasts a 6.4% boost in GDP, a 3.5% increase in economy-wide jobs, and a substantial 25.4% improvement in the welfare index compared to current plans, extending through 2050.
To unlock these benefits, a comprehensive policy package is essential. This package should seamlessly intertwine the pursuit of climate and environmental objectives, economic development, job creation, and societal equity, fostering welfare for all.
In contemplating the inevitability of renewables taking over, what remains indisputable is the ongoing transformation of the global energy landscape. A tangible pathway toward a sustainable future is already taking shape, reaffirming the dynamic evolution of our energy economy.
