Mission 300 tests what it takes to power Africa
24/4/2025: Dismantling USAID has led to the collapse of Power Africa, a once high-profile US initiative to deliver access to electricity. Attention now focuses on Mission 300, an ambitious plan to bring electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.
Source: Devex
US Energy Secretary will support African energy needs, not climate
7/3/2025: Christopher Wright, the US Energy Secretary, said the US will support African nations in developing any type of energy they choose and set aside "paternalistic" practices and climate change demands. According to Wright, climate change is not among the top ten global problems.
Source: Devex
Heads of State commit to transform Africa’s energy sector
28/1/2025: The African Union Summit in February will be asked to adopt the Mission 300 initiative which aims to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030, about half of those currently lacking access. The African Development Bank and the World Bank Group plan to allocate $48 billion in financing by 2030.
Source: World Bank Group
Philippines struggles to break free from coal despite renewables pledge
16/12/2024: The share of electricity generated by coal in the Philippines rose to 62% in 2023 from 59% in the previous year, despite the country's goal of increasing its renewables’ share to 35% by 2030 and to 50% by 2040. Government and industry groups argue that a diverse energy mix, including coal, is essential to ensure energy security and meet the growing demand for electricity.
Source: Dialogue Earth
Mixed results in UN Decade of Sustainable Energy for all
19/4/2024: The global population with access to electricity has increased from 87 per cent to 91 per cent since 2015 but this progress has not been shared equitably. The goal of energy for all requires more funding and international cooperation.
Source: UN News
World Bank aims to bring electricity to 300 million Africans
18/4/2024: By doubling its spending to $6 billion per annum and working in partnership with the African Development Bank, the plan would halve the 600 million people currently living without electricity on the continent by 2030. All new power generation will come from renewable energy sources. Campaigners question how the plan will be any different from similar past World Bank initiatives.
Source: Devex
Green hydrogen: Africa’s can break the extractive dynamic
25/10/2023: Several European governments are exploring agreements with African countries to produce green hydrogen through huge renewable energy farms. These agreements should be conditional on action to offset energy poverty on the continent, where 600 million people lack access to electricity.
Source: African Arguments
Power for Africa: The boom of nuclear energy?
19/10/2023: Many African countries are eyeing nuclear power to solve electrification challenges, often in partnership with energy companies from China and Russia. Experts say this is the wrong direction, pointing to solar energy as a welcome alternative for the sunny continent.
Source: DW
Uganda charcoal ban ignites transition debate
2/10/2023: The Ugandan government's ban of commercial charcoal, whose burning releases high levels of carbon and other pollutants, has largely been welcomed by environmentalists. However, the policy has also highlighted the complexities of transitioning from dirty energies to cleaner sources. Only 45% of Ugandans, as of 2020, were connected to the domestic grid.
Source: African Arguments
Fixing Africa’s electricity woes needs more than power
2/8/2023: The total number of people without access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa stayed roughly the same in 2021 as in 2011, according to the latest energy progress report published by a group of international agencies. More than four out of five people living in rural areas remain without power.
Source: DW