Leading Africa's energy transition through wind power

Today, more than 600 million Africans, equivalent to half the population in the continent, do not have reliable access to power while one-in-two people added to the global population between today and 2040 will be African. These profound demographic changes are set to drive economic growth, infrastructure development and energy demand on the continent.

Being a very diverse continent, Africa encompasses many different cultures, economies, religions, and traditions. At the same time, the continent’s 54 countries certainly have one thing in common: the growing demand for energy which is faster than that of any other continent. Africa’s abundant renewable energy resources provide the basis for a sustainable future of cleaner, more reliable, and more affordable power for its inhabitants.

An increasing number of countries have recognized such benefits and are implementing ambitious renewable energy plans and actively pursue the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Examples include Egypt which has committed to source 42% of its total electricity from renewable energy by 2035 or Morocco with its renewable energy target of 52% by 2030. Meanwhile, South Africa plans to install an additional 3.3 GW of wind energy capacity over the next five years covering close to 20% of electricity consumption in the country. 

According to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), 944MW of wind energy capacity was installed in Africa and the Middle East in 2019, of which Siemens Gamesa’s latest 262MW wind farm project in Egypt equivalent to powering over 250.000 households. GWEC Market Intelligence’s preliminary forecasts 10.7 GW of wind energy capacity to be installed between 2020-2024, an increase of 167% compared to the current market status.

Siemens Gamesa has been supporting the increasing energy demand in Africa for the past 20 years, having completed projects in Egypt, South Africa, Morocco, Kenya, Mauritania, Mauritius, Tunisia and Algeria with a 55% market share in the continent. In total, Siemens Gamesa has installed 3.4 GW of wind capacity supporting the reduction of over 8 million tons of CO2 emissions equivalent to 140 million trees that would need to be grown annually to avoid the same amount of CO2 savings.

Siemens Gamesa is leading the sustainable energy transition in Africa. The company continues to strengthen its position as number one in the continent’s wind power market and is active in both established and developing wind energy markets. Through all its activities, Siemens Gamesa is committed to foster environmental sustainability, economic development, and to contribute to the wellbeing of the people in the societies where it operates.