African leaders enlist renewables to build future of energy resilience

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
African leaders will use IRENA’s pre-existing Clean Energy Corridors scheme to structure the roll-out of renewables alongside Africa’s East, West and South. Image credit: ENGIE

Global renewable experts will steer the roll-out of large volumes of solar and others in Africa, in a bid to help the continent tap into its vast green energy resources to power its response to COVID-19.

Renewables will be enlisted to energise African hospitals, medical gear, water pumping and other critical anti-pandemic functions, under a partnership between the African Union Commission (AUC) and global green energy body IRENA.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

The AUC – the body governing a union between all 55 African states – said the time has come to “fast-track” energy access in the continent, where 600 million people remain disconnected despite the abundance of renewable resources.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that energy is critical for all spheres of life and is now proving to be a matter of survival,” said H.E. Dr. Amani Abou-Zeid, the AUC’s Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, after an online discussion with IRENA head Francesco La Camera.

Together, African leaders will use IRENA’s pre-existing Clean Energy Corridors scheme to structure the roll-out of renewables alongside Africa’s East, West and South. The partners will seek to strengthen power markets and promote cross-border trade of renewable power.

The 10GW schemes for a solar-powered Africa

At 21,000-plus cases reported continent-wide as of 19 April 2020, the COVID-19 virus has expanded across Africa in recent weeks, even if confirmed infections remain far behind those of Europe, North America and Asia. 

The gradual onset of the pandemic has seen some of the continent’s leading economies embed solar in their response. As documented by PV Tech’s weekly COVID-19 trackers, authorities in Nigeria, Somaliland and others have already acted to install PV panels atop hospitals and other facilities.

African policymakers’ focus on solar predates the pandemic itself, however. Last year alone, this publication took stock of the progress by schemes including a 10GW solar corridor in West Africa, a GCF-backed raft of PV programmes and the Sahel’s ‘Desert to Power’ initiative.

Backed by Sahel leaders last September, the latter of the three programmes will seek to unlock another 10GW solar across the semi-arid African region. As examined by a PV Tech Power feature, the goal is to ensure renewables can replace the deforestation-driving use of trees for fuel.

Attention is also turning to solar-plus-storage mini-grids, a segment the World Bank believes Africa could lead on and use to provide energy access to millions. Last June, the global body singled out Nigeria and Senegal as the countries witnessing the most planning applications by that point.

PV Tech has set up a dedicated tracker to map out how the COVID-19 pandemic is disrupting solar supply chains worldwide. You can read the latest updates here.

If you have a COVID-19 statement to share or a story on how the pandemic is disrupting a solar business anywhere in the world, do get in touch at [email protected] or [email protected].

21 October 2025
New York, USA
Returning for its 12th edition, Solar and Storage Finance USA Summit remains the annual event where decision-makers at the forefront of solar and storage projects across the United States and capital converge. Featuring the most active solar and storage transactors, join us for a packed two-days of deal-making, learning and networking.

Read Next

September 5, 2025
Scientists from Germany and Saudi Arabia have discovered that perovskite thin-film cells are compatible with current industry standard silicon solar cells, which they claim is a “crucial step toward the industrialisation of perovskite silicon tandem solar cells”.
September 5, 2025
During a week of major US clean energy developments, ContourGlobal, PSE, Arevon, and Ameren Missouri advanced solar projects across four states in the US.
September 5, 2025
Newly formed firm Solaris Assets has acquired the business operations and assets of Texas-based residential solar installer Sunnova.
September 5, 2025
Research firm Rystad Energy has found that Queensland’s utility-scale solar PV power plants have dominated the best-performing assets, in terms of AC capacity factor, rankings for August 2025.
September 4, 2025
India’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, the joint forum of the Centre and States, has reduced the GST rate on renewable energy components from 12% to 5%. 
September 4, 2025
The Czech national cybersecurity agency has warned that Chinese solar inverters represent a threat to the country’s data security.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines