Green Power for Africa: Overcoming the Main Constraints

Inadequate power supply in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) means that only 37 per cent of sub-Saharan Africans have access to electricity. Those with access are prone to experience problems with regular power outages. In many sub- SSA countries, electricity access rates are decreasing because electrification efforts are slower than population growth. In recent years, however, some SSA countries have demonstrated that with political will and opportunities for appropriate finance, access to electricity can be accelerated. Alongside increased awareness in the international development community of the importance of energy for human development, the requirement for energy to be ‘green’ means that calls for the provision of clean, renewable energy sources cannot be ignored. The authors of this IDS Bulletin provide insights from power systems engineering, macroeconomics, microeconomics, and political economy on how to overcome constraints to green electricity in Africa. One of the biggest contributions of this issue is that is allows a dialogue between academics and practitioners that would not normally be published in the same journal. What also emerges as an underlying thread is the essential role of donors to achieve sustainable energy for all in Africa. The contributions to the IDS Bulletin underline the enormity of the clean electrification challenge in Africa, and demonstrate the benefits of a multidisciplinary approach where technical, economic, and political perspectives are involved in the design of interventions.