In a continent the place 600 million individuals haven’t any entry to electrical energy, you will need to faucet into any renewable useful resource that’s obtainable. Africa has wealthy wind assets and may get a lot of its wanted energy from the wind. From the information of Afrik21, we learn of many wind farm initiatives — from the giga to the mega. Get out your map and have a good time these steps of progress with me as wind powers extra of Africa.

For extra from this area, I’ve beforehand written about electrical autos in Africa and the progress of mini grids to harness photo voltaic vitality.

Egypt — mega and giga

Purple Sea Wind Power (RSWE) is growing its second wind farm within the Gulf of Suez in Egypt close to the city of Ras Ghareb. Financing is being supplied by the Japan Financial institution for Worldwide Cooperation (JBIC) in coordination with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Company, Norinchukin Financial institution, and the French financial institution Société Générale. Collectively, they are going to allow the 500MW venture to go forward.

Chinese language funding in Africa has elevated tenfold lately. Japan desires to stability that. In response to the United Nations Convention on Commerce and Growth (UNCTAD), China’s investments in East Africa reached $8.2 billion in 2021.

The Ras Ghareb wind farm has been beneath building since November 2022 and is anticipated to begin industrial operations within the third quarter of 2025.

“In response to RSWE, the wind farm beneath building will be capable to present clear electrical energy to greater than 800,000 Egyptian households. It’ll additionally assist speed up Egypt’s transition to renewable vitality era and scale back CO2 emissions by roughly 1 million tons per yr after it comes on-line. For the document, RSWE is owned by a consortium consisting of French vitality firm Engie (35%), Egyptian flagship Orascom Development (25%), Japanese investor Toyota Tsusho Company (20%), and its compatriot Eurus Power Holdings Company (20%).”

As well as, Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Energy is planning to construct a 1,100 MW wind farm in Egypt by 2026.

Dwarfing the RSWE wind farm would be the proposed 10,000 MW Masdar mega wind farm. Maybe we should always name it a giga wind farm. It will change into the biggest renewable vitality venture in North Africa, requiring an funding of $10 billion. The land has now been bought.

“That is the venture of a consortium shaped by the Emirati vitality firm Masdar; Hassan Allam Utilities, the subsidiary of the Egyptian group Hassan Allam Holding; and Infinity Energy, a three way partnership between the Egyptian firm Infinity Power and Masdar.”

Some considerations have been expressed by environmentalists, because the land bought for the mega venture within the Gulf of Suez is situated on the migratory route of many chicken species from Europe to winter in Africa, primarily within the Nice Lakes area. There’s a proposal to cease the generators through the passage of migratory birds.

The wind farm, which will probably be able to producing 47,790 GWh of electrical energy per yr, is anticipated to scale back Egypt’s annual emissions by round 9% and save at the least $5 billion on the price of pure fuel. At present, Egypt produces virtually 60% of its electrical energy from fuel. Egypt has a strategic purpose to acquire 42% of its vitality from renewable sources by 2030.

South Africa

In South Africa, Purple Rocket, an unbiased energy producer, is constructing three wind farms: the Brandvalley, the Rietkloof and the Wolf. These will probably be located within the Jap and Western Cape and have a mixed capability of 373 MW.

“Vestas will provide and set up 64 V150-4.5 MW generators, 12 V163-4.5 MW generators and 5 Enventus V162-6.2 MW generators. The corporate may also preserve the three wind farms beneath a 15-year ‘Lively Output Administration 5000 (AOM 5000)’ contract.

“’The initiatives will present R740 million ($40.6 million) of neighborhood funding over 20 years by means of native social initiatives. The wind farms will probably be operational by 2024,’ says Matteo Brambilla, Purple Rocket’s managing director.

“As soon as operational, the Brandvalley, Rietkloof and Wolf wind farms will probably be able to producing 1,500 GWh of fresh electrical energy every year. Vestas has supplied generators for a number of wind farms in South Africa with 1.3 GW capability put in or beneath building.

“Additionally in South Africa, the 89 MW Fortress wind farm has begun building. The power will present clear electrical energy for Sibanye-Stillwater’s mining operations close to the city of De Aar, within the Northern Cape province.

“The farm will comprise 16 Goldwind 6 MW generators and will probably be related to the nationwide grid by way of the Hydra predominant transmission station owned by state-owned Eskom.

“’This venture marks our first main step in implementing our portfolio of over 550 MW of renewable initiatives and is a vital milestone in our journey in direction of carbon neutrality by 2040. The venture is not going to solely play a key function in decreasing carbon emissions and mitigating local weather change, however may also ship Sibanye-Stillwater electrical energy financial savings and vitality safety for operations in South Africa,’ says Neal Froneman, Sibanye-Stillwater’s Chief Government Officer.”

Kenya

Kenya boasts the Lake Turkana wind farm. It’s the largest in East Africa, with a capability of 310.25 MW.

365 wind generators are unfold over an space of 160 km2 within the district of Loiyangalani, in Marsabit County, about 545 km by highway north of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. The wind farm is roofed by a 20-year energy buy settlement (PPA) signed between Lake Turkana Wind Energy and the state-owned Kenya Energy Firm.

Wind powers Africa.

Namibia

Namibia is quickly to have a brand new 50 MW wind farm collectively funded by China Power Engineering Company (CEEC) and the Namibian firm Riminii Investments. The farm will probably be located 16 km from the southern metropolis of Lüderitz within the Karas area on the Atlantic Ocean at a value of $76.6 million.

“The venture will make a major contribution to NamPower’s provide portfolio when mixed with different era initiatives which might be a part of its built-in technique and marketing strategy,” says Kahenge Haulofu, NamPower’s managing director.

Namibia imports 60% of its electrical energy from Zimbabwe, Zambia, and South Africa. These international locations are experiencing their very own vitality crises, making energy provide precarious. At present, seven clear vitality crops are related to Namibia’s nationwide energy grid, with a mixed capability of 76.5 MW. The additional 50 MW will probably be welcome.

Africa

Is it regarding that a lot capital to determine these initiatives is coming from the developed world? I hope we aren’t seeing a brand new type of colonialism — capital used to develop renewable vitality initiatives might promote dependence and never independence for Africa. Wind powers Africa, however ultimately, it stays to be seen who will personal the electricity-generating assets.