Energy leaders have called for urgent action to diversify Africa’s electricity generation strategy, warning that failure to adopt a balanced energy mix – combining renewables, fossil fuels and off-grid technologies – could worsen power shortages across the continent.
Speaking at the Invest in African Energy Forum in Paris, industry experts stressed that Africa’s path to universal electrification requires a hybridised, context-specific approach that ensures both reliability and sustainability.
BW Energy chief technology officer Jérôme Bertheau noted that there was need to look at energy issues in Africa “in a long-term view”.
“Renewables are cheap, but they are intermittent and not controllable. It is compatible for fossil fuels to be the baseload [to offset] the intermittency of renewables,” Bertheau said.
He cited BW Energy’s gas-to-power project in Namibia as a model of scalable, market-aligned development, starting with 200 MW of baseload capacity and expanding over time.
“The project is phased, so we are developing alongside the growth of Namibia. The first step is a 200 MW viable baseload, but we can increase it as the market grows,” he said.
The discussion highlighted that Africa’s weak national grids and low investor confidence pose significant challenges to energy reform.
Experts stressed that successful models already exist and that Africa’s energy transition must be guided by both technological and commercial innovation.
“The first step on the ladder is hybridisation – we need to introduce more renewables. That is how we offset costs and get more sustainable,” said Christoffer Ek, Director of Decarbonisation Services at Wärtsilä Energy.
Hybridisation is the process of integrating renewables into existing power systems.
With Africa’s electricity consumption per capita hovering around 500 kWh annually, far below global averages, the stakes are high.
Silvia Macri, Associate Director at S&P Global Commodity Insights, warned that over-reliance on a single energy source is a major risk factor fuelling persistent power outages.
She pointed to Kenya’s success in expanding access through geothermal investments, demonstrating how diverse energy strategies can accelerate electrification.
The Invest in African Energy Forum took place from 11-12 May in the French capital.
JN/APA