The 25th African Energy Forum in Nairobi, Kenya gathered participants from different parts of Africa and the world. pv magazine was there at the fair to talk to the participants.
On one of the inaugural days, Kenyan President William Ruto highlighted the country’s commitment to renewable energy and highlighted the implementation of a solar project covering 14 underserved counties. He noted Kenya’s progress in meeting its clean energy goals and called for more investment in renewable energy sources to avoid dependence on fossil fuels.
Kadri Nassiep, Energy Director of the City of Cape Town, South Africa, discussed the importance of political will in enabling successful energy transitions. He spoke about efforts to alleviate the load with solar and storage projects and emphasized the need for political support to promote renewable energy initiatives.
Chris Antonopoulos, CEO of Lekela Advisors, addressed the financing challenges of renewable energy in Africa. He noted the lack of projects to be financed and the concentration of capital investments in a few countries, and at the same time called for a series of profitable projects to attract investments.
Daniel Schroth, Head of Renewable Energy at the African Development Bank (AfDB), noted the AfDB’s significant investment in renewable energy and the need to distribute capital more equitably across the African continent. He emphasized the importance of state guarantees, long-term regulatory frameworks and favorable buyer requirements to secure financing for renewable energy projects.
All in all, the discussions at the African Energy Forum emphasized the opportunities for renewable energy development in Africa, the need for political will, and the importance of financed projects and the regulatory framework supporting them to promote a sustainable energy transition.
