SDG 7.2 – Renewable energy
The share of renewable energy (RE) in Africa’s total final energy consumption improved by an estimated 1 percentage point from 2010 to 2021. This is the lowest of any region in the world.
Whilst calling for a substantial increase in the share of RE in the total global energy mix (Target 7.2), the SDG7 target does not stipulate a specific amount. Leaving aside the burning of biomass using traditional methods, the share of ‘modern renewables‘, such as solar and wind power, along with modern biomass technologies in Africa’s energy mix is only 10%. Whilst there is real progress in the electricity sector, other sectors do not yet show a significant share of RE.
Zooming-in on the electricity sector, renewable power capacity doubled over the period, from 32.5 GW in 2014 to 59.4 GW in 2022. Although the capacity additions in absolute numbers remain relatively modest compared to the global installed capacity and the tremendous RE potential in Africa, they have led to an increasing of the share of RE in the electricity generation mix from about one-fifth to one-quarter.
The average annual commitment to RE over the period has been EUR 3.8 billion, making it the sector receiving the largest portion of SDG7 financing.
As renewable energy capacity is progressing rapidly in the world, there is a pronounced momentum for an even faster expansion. The global renewables and efficiency pledge announced at COP 28 aims to triple global renewable capacity by 2030. With a significant and largely untapped renewable energy potential, the African continent will be part of this global effort and has already set itself ambitious targets.
In order to put these pledges and plans into action, significant increases in financial commitments will be needed. As the private sector will play a central role, it should be accompanied by increased support in policy and capacity-building to establish attractive investment frameworks, and reduce risk perceptions, in the countries. Investments in modern and digital transmission and distribution infrastructure will be crucial for supporting the expansion of RE capacity, as they also impact grid operations and stability.