Africa’s push to eliminate its electricity shortfall centers on solar energy, which is driving progress. Daily installations now reach 100,000 panels, Ember’s data shows. Pairing solar with rapidly declining battery costs strengthens its role in shaping the continent’s energy sector.
The continent is also investing billions of dollars annually in conventional energy technologies, including gas-fired power stations, large-scale hydroelectric dams, and wind farms. However, no single technology can meet all of Africa’s needs. Regional variations in solar resources have spurred research into niche power generation and storage methods, with significant efforts underway to tap into innovative solutions.
Waste-to-energy and biomass projects
Waste-to-energy facilities, like the 30 MW plant in Freetown, Sierra Leone, are being developed. Infrastructure development company Infinitum Energy’s CEO, Lindsay Nagle, highlighted the “monumental” potential to expand this model across Africa’s cities. However, conventional waste-to-energy projects are controversial due to pollutants released during burning, and most plants are designed for dry waste, which contrasts with Africa’s predominantly organic waste.
Biomass power generation, using crop residues, offers a more suitable alternative. The 46 MW Biovea Energie facility in Côte d’Ivoire, fueled by palm oil waste, began supplying electricity last year. Speaking at the start of construction in 2023, Meridiam’s CEO Thierry Déau emphasized that Biovea would create “a virtuous circle of economic development” and “improve the productivity and income of local plantations and farmers.” Anaerobic digesters, using crop residues or manure, produce biogas for cooking, heating, or power generation, with plants ranging from household to commercial scales, such as the 9.8 MW Bronkhorstspruit Biogas Plant in South Africa.
Geothermal power and energy storage
Kenya is the only African country prioritizing geothermal power, with the world’s sixth-largest geothermal capacity. Its unique geology, bisected by the East African Rift Valley, allows easier access to hot rock due to the African plate splitting into the Somali and Nubian plates, moving apart by about 8 mm annually. This makes drilling boreholes more cost-effective compared to other regions.
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Advances in enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) could expand geothermal feasibility across Africa. In EGS, companies drill over 5,000 meters deep to reach hot rock, using techniques similar to fracking. Cold water is injected, heated, and returned as steam to generate power. While drilling costs remain high, recent wells have seen costs drop to less than 20% of historical norms, suggesting EGS could soon become economically viable for African nations.
Battery energy storage systems (BESS) have reduced costs, enabling solar power to function as a baseload source. However, BESS has limitations, including short storage duration and environmental concerns. Alternative storage technologies, like compressed air storage and gravity energy storage systems (GESS), are being explored. For instance, Tree Associates is piloting a compressed air system in Nigeria, while Energy Vault’s GESS at the Hendrina power station in South Africa uses surplus solar power to lift recycled coal ash blocks, storing energy indefinitely without degradation.
Biogas and Anaerobic Digestion
Anaerobic digesters offer another avenue for biomass power generation, processing feedstocks like crop residues, cattle manure, and human waste. The waste is broken down by bacteria in an oxygen-free environment, producing biogas for cooking, heating, or electricity. The scale of biogas plants varies widely, from household systems to large operations like the 9.8 MW Bronkhorstspruit Biogas Plant in South Africa. Kenya and other African nations are expanding biogas use, following the lead of Asian countries like India.
Space-Based Solar Power
Space-based solar power (SBSP) is an emerging technology that could transform energy generation. SBSP involves positioning solar panels in space, where they can continuously face the Sun and beam power back to Earth. Commercial projects are expected as early as 2030, driven by tech giants like Google and Meta to meet AI and data center energy demands.
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