Lhe energy crisis, latent for several years, intensified with the Covid-19 pandemic and then the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Everywhere in the world there are shortages of gas, wood, pellets, but also sharp increases in prices so that the costs, both for companies, in all sectors, and for individuals, have increased tenfold. At the same time, many power cuts have already been announced, all over the world, in order to avoid a total blackout situation this winter. Faced with this major global challenge, which was one of the major concerns of COP27, what can be done? Each country is looking for ways to solve this problem on its own scale. Yet a few thousand kilometers from them, there is a pool of exploitable and efficient energy solutions, meeting the concrete needs of businesses and households. Let’s shed some light on these.
The energy transition, a dynamic supported by African States
In Africa, the strong growth in demand for electricity is reflected in the sustained efforts of States to increase electrification rates on the continent, which nevertheless remain low in many countries. This demand in turn leads to strong growth in production, particularly from renewable energies. According to the latest edition of the IEA’s Africa Energy Outlook, the combined share of variable renewables in total production could rise from 3% in 2020 to 27% in 2030. According to a recent study by Castalia for AFD , the potential market for distributed solar PV in the residential and C&I (Commercial and Industrial) sector is expected to be between 4 and 5 TW by 2027.
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Moreover, as the United Nations points out, the African energy transition has experienced incredible growth over the past ten years: “According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, countries such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco and South Africa have shown strong commitment to accelerated use of modern renewables and are leading energy transition efforts, while some of the smaller countries in Africa, including Cape Verde, Djibouti, Rwanda and Swaziland, have also set ambitious renewable energy targets. Other countries are following suit and renewable energy is on the rise across the continent. Especially since Africa benefits from undeniable natural resources: a powerful and regular rate of sunshine throughout the year, very long natural ocean borders with a coastline of around 26,000 km and significant gas fields.
To facilitate this transition, a series of measures will be necessary to promote flexibility in electrical systems: strengthening the planning of production and transmission means, optimizing the management of the supply-demand balance, developing storage and interconnections , development of distributed generation and self-consumption, active participation of consumers in the balance of the electrical system, improvement of energy efficiency, adaptation of regulations to encourage investment, digitalization of networks and adoption of smart grid solutions , or strengthening cybersecurity. With the rise of digital, many start-ups have emerged to identify concrete solutions to these challenges by drawing on the continent’s various assets.
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Energy, a major theme in African innovation
Because the energy question is all the more crucial since energy is at the heart of all development needs, whether for professional, health, care activities or to make the living conditions of individuals more comfortable. Take for example Green Algeria. This Algerian start-up offers individuals the opportunity to transform their organic waste into combustible gas. Similarly, D-Olivette, in Nigeria, designs and provides rural populations with bio-organic technologies, in particular domestic biodigesters, enabling them to transform their domestic waste into biogas and bio-fertilizer, creating both more daily energy for families but also more fertilizer for the fields.
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In Burkina Faso, Solafrique is designing innovative solutions promoting the use of smart solar-powered boreholes and pumps to improve the resilience of small agricultural producers in the country, by giving them access to drinking and/or irrigation water thanks to clean energy, through a “pay as you go” system.
In Nigeria, Solaristique Nigeria focuses on creating sustainable clean energy by designing solar-powered freezers made from recycled waste. This technological and ecological innovation has the potential to make many households more energy independent while improving the cold chain in Nigeria.
Energy start-ups: the question of Africa-World cooperation raised
These many examples have incredible potential for impact on the rest of the world. But how to encourage cooperation beyond the continents and how to ensure that these innovations can be deployed beyond borders?
First of all, through investments by large groups in these start-ups. This is notably the case of Total and Vinci Energy which are very active in the search for African nuggets. Furthermore, whether dedicated to energy like I&P Digital Energy (launched last summer by I&P and the French Development Agency) or more focused on positive innovation like EMERGING Mediterranean, the Social Inclusive Business Camp, many international programs exist to identify these nuggets and support them on a scale while allowing them to benefit from their networks.
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This is also the case of international meetings such as EMERGING Valley, which can shed light on these various projects and promote bridges between these start-ups and the rest of the world. Beyond round tables such as “technological innovation at the heart of the implementation of sustainable, sovereign and resilient energy policies in Africa”, the objective of which is to shed light on the role that new technologies could have in the strengthening of African electricity systems but also on the way in which they could both optimize the planning and operational management of these systems, there is the highlighting of structures such as the Nigerian start-up E-Energietec which , using smart meters, offers African households the ability to track consumption in real time and avoid billing lags. Or the start-up Motsi Technologies Group, which has set up a blockchain-based peer-to-peer solar electricity exchange platform for commercial and industrial customers in Namibia. Important element to note: these companies were among the winners of the Digital Energy Challenge, a program of the French Development Agency which rewards innovations in the energy sector in Africa.
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* Founder of EMERGING Mediterranean, EMERGING Valley and author of Startup Lions.
** The 6e edition was held on November 29 in Marseille.