Policy Brief 2022/02: Wind Energy: Joining Forces for an African Lift-Off

The Africa-EU Energy Partnership’s (AEEP) Policy Brief Wind Energy: Joining Forces for an African Lift-Off explores the main action areas that could unlock Africa’s enormous wind energy potential.

Several African countries have built sizeable wind industries in the past decade. The installed capacities stood at around 6,500 MW in 2020 but represent only a tiny fraction of what is possible. A report from the International Finance Corporation concludes that just onshore, the potential in Africa is sufficient to satisfy the entire continent’s electricity demand 250 times over.

By working closely together, Africa and Europe can leverage their existing partnership and secure wind’s contribution to Agenda 2063 and Agenda 2030. The AEEP Policy Brief summarises existing data on the status of wind in Africa as well as its potential. It concludes that to secure an enabling environment for wind energy development, Africa and Europe should focus on five core tasks, including, for example, bankable Power Purchase Agreements, enhanced grid infrastructure and continued capacity development.

The AEEP Policy Brief has benefitted from peer reviews by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), RES4Africa Foundation and the renewAfrica initiative.