Kenya's wind key to continent's energy - report

KenGen's wind farm in Ngong hills was the first one to be developed in East Africa. [File, Standard]

Kenya is among the countries contributing to clean electricity that wind energy is generating across the continent.

The recently released "Status of Wind in Africa" report sheds light on the immense potential Africa holds in the realm of renewable energy, particularly wind power.

The report, produced by the Global Wind Energy Council's Africa Wind Power initiative, reveals that 83 installed wind farms are currently operational across Africa, with a combined capacity of 9 GW.

Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa have emerged as primary markets, while Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tunisia follow closely as secondary markets.

However, the report also highlights that this installed capacity only scratches the surface of the continent's total technical potential capacity, which stands at a staggering 33,642 GW.

"The transformational potential of wind is still untapped. Wind energy will play a crucial role in Africa's energy transition, especially following the call by African leaders in the Nairobi Declaration for scaling up renewable energy to 300 GW, up from the current 56 GW," emphasised the report.

"This report sends out a clear message: Africa is getting on with the energy transition, and a collaborative approach is needed by all stakeholders to clear the pathway. The strong pipeline of wind energy projects shown in the report is at risk without policy intervention, innovative financing models and supply chain localization," emphasized Wangari Muchiri, Director of Africa Wind Power.

The report, a comprehensive analysis by the Global Wind Energy Council's Africa Wind Power initiative, not only highlights Africa's current wind energy capacity but also unveils a promising future.

With 140 wind projects in the pipeline, Africa is on the brink of a groundbreaking expansion, aiming to increase its installed capacity by an astounding 900 per cent.

"This report sends out a clear message: Africa is getting on with the energy transition, and a collaborative approach is needed by all stakeholders to clear the pathway. The strong pipeline of wind energy projects shown in the report is at risk without policy intervention, innovative financing models and supply chain localization," emphasized Wangari Muchiri, Director of Africa Wind Power.

These upcoming projects, slated for countries including Angola, Chad, Mali, Ghana, Sudan, Niger, Madagascar, Uganda, Zambia, and Malawi, signal a continent-wide commitment to renewable energy.

Since 2000, Africa has witnessed a steady rise in wind energy installations, with annual additions exceeding 800 MW during 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2022. The peak installation occurred in 2014, reaching an impressive 1132 MW.

The report identifies 140 projects, collectively representing 86 GW of planned new wind capacity. This ambitious endeavor includes ventures in previously untapped nations, promising immense growth potential.Egypt has inked agreements for a monumental venture - a USD 10 billion, 10 GW wind farm in the Gulf of Suez, set to be one of the world's largest.

The report indicated that the rising demand for e-mobility and the push for low-carbon transportation are creating avenues for further wind power development across the continent.

"The integration of markets at a regional level is poised to facilitate wind plant development in high-potential countries, fostering trade with nations experiencing high energy demand," read the report in part.

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