eMag – How to ensure access to renewable energy for rural populations in Africa?
February 2023 - How to promote access to renewable energy for rural communities on the African continent?
Date of publication : 02/03/2023
Summary of this issue :
The Observatory’s Lens
Renewable Energy, an Opportunity for Africa
« In West Africa, only 42% of the population has access to electricity and just 8% in rural areas. The figures are alarming but there is hope and voices are being raised to show that renewable energy is an opportunity for Africa. »
Mélaine Assè Wassa Sama, Project Officer Climate Action in Africa at Climate Chance, provides an overview of the renewable energy development on the African continent and presents a case study on mini-grids in Mali.
Special segment by Afrik 21
African Mini-grids Programme & Financing for clean cooking
« 900 million people in Africa still do not have access to clean cooking. To reduce the sector’s financing gap, estimated at $10 billion per year, some project leaders are turning to carbon credits. »
Jean Marie Takouleu, Editor in chief of the online media Afrik 21, shares news on the African Minigrids Programme (AMP) in Nigeria and Somalia, and deals with different ways to finance access to clean cooking in Africa.
Best practicies
Energy cooperatives, a tool for inclusive and sustainable development
« It was an enriching and interesting experience. I benefited from trainings on the manufacturing of solar cookers and dryers, as well as awareness on the existance of these solutions. We then created our own cooperative in Tetouan. »
Mariam Es-Sih, president of the women’s cooperative SunPower Coop in Tetouan, Morocco, explains the importance of energy cooperatives in enabling inclusive and environmentally friendly economic development through the implementation of solar solutions.
Supporting rural entrepreneurship through the solarization of economical activities
« At present, the challenge is that scaling up starts with capitalising on experience to see the drivers that boost productive energy projects sustainably and in a secure way. »
Massamba Gaye, Head of projects ‘Essential Services’ for the NGO Gret Senegal, presents the project titled « Productive uses of solar energy » and explains how solarisation can support rural actors’ entrepreneurship and access to electricity.