Africa Energy Transition: Sectors and Companies Driving Development – 2026
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Despite continued renewable capacity additions, Africa is not forecast to reach the halfway mark for renewables in either installed capacity or power generation by 2035, highlighting the persistence of structural constraints in scaling clean power across the region and a dependence on fossil fuels.
Investment in enabling infrastructure to improve grid stability and support higher renewable penetration, such as energy storage, is underway, but remains concentrated in a limited number of markets.
Several transition technologies, including EVs, renewable fuels, and CCUS, remain at an early stage of deployment, while low-carbon hydrogen, despite high expectations in the early 2020s, continues to be dominated by pipeline projects, with limited conversion into active capacity.
Despite steady growth in renewable capacity, Africa is not expected to reach a 50% share of renewable power in either installed capacity or generation by 2035, as rising electricity demand, grid constraints, and the continued need for dispatchable power mean renewables are expanding alongside, rather than displacing, fossil fuels.
While energy storage capacity is expected to gradually grow, deployment remains highly concentrated in only a small number of markets – chiefly South Africa – meaning that the region will continue to lag global peers as limited policy support, grid constraints and financing challenges slow the scale-up needed to support higher renewable penetration.
Electric vehicle adoption in Africa remains limited and uneven, reflecting affordability constraints, weak charging infrastructure and limited policy support; however, growing Chinese investment in vehicle supply, local assembly and financing could materially improve availability and cost competitiveness over the next decade, supporting a gradual uptake.
Africa only hosts 9 renewable refineries, all of which are still in the pipeline. However, recent initiatives, such as the African Development Bank’s partnership with Japanese engineering company JGC Corporation, and the European Commission’s Global Gateway strategy are unlocking new opportunities for SAFs in Africa.
CCUS deployment in Africa remains nascent, with only nine projects, eight of which are still in early-development stages. However, this is not due to a lack of underlying geology, as Africa features extensive geological CO₂ storage potential in deep saline aquifers and depleted oil and gas reservoirs, but site-level appraisal and infrastructure investment remains limited.
Africa’s low-carbon hydrogen ambitions remain largely export-focused and policy-led, as ~100% of the region’s capacity is still at early stages amid weak offtake signals from proximate markets, such as Europe. However, hydrogen derivatives such as low-carbon ammonia could play a key role in reducing dependence on expensive fertilizer imports.
Scope
Africa climate targets, Africa CO2 emissions, Africa renewable energy potential, African leaders in renewable energy and energy storage, Africa renewable energy policies, Africa power consumption and demand, renewable power capacity and generation, decommissioning of thermal power, energy storage capacity, electric vehicle production, EV population data, African upcoming renewable refineries, CCUS outlook, African upcoming CC storage projects, hydrogen policies, African upcoming hydrogen policies, hydrogen capacity by stage and type.
Key Highlights
Africa’s emissions grew between 2000 and 2024, recording a CAGR of 2% between 2000 and 2024, and reaching 1.5GtCO₂e in 2024.
Driven by steady capacity additions, renewables are expected to reach 46% of Africa’s overall power capacity in 2035, increasing from just 28% in 2025.
Renewables accounted for 25% of the region’s overall power generation mix in 2025.
Ethiopia stands out as the only country in the region projected to achieve and maintain 100% renewable power generation through to 2035, although this is heavily driven by hydropower.
Gas power capacity continues to expand in the region as it offers a cost-effective, dispatchable solution to meet rising demand, provide energy security alongside renewable expansion, and monetize domestic gas resources.
In 2025, Africa accounted for only 2% of global energy storage capacity.
According to the IEA Global EV Outlook 2025, Africa’s EV sales more than doubled in 2024, reaching an estimated ~11,000 units. However, according to the GlobalData Automotive Intelligence Center, this statistic represented only 1% of total light vehicle sales in Africa in 2024.
Renewable fuels and CCUS remain nascent technologies in the region.
Globally, Africa ranks second for active and upcoming low-carbon hydrogen capacity, with a total maximum capacity of 16mtpa. However, less than 0.1% of this capacity is active. This highlights both a market that is still nascent, but also a slower conversion rate from pipeline to active capacity than other prospective export regions.
Reasons to Buy
Assess the current regional emissions, thermal and renewable capacity, and generation share, and identify which countries are driving the energy transition in Africa.
Identify market trends within the industry, including expected 2030 capacities for a range of technologies.
Identify who the leading countries and regional players are in renewable energy capacity, energy storage, EVs, and energy transition technologies such as renewable fuels, hydrogen, and CCUS.
Understand the legislative framework laid out by the region’s governments aimed at accelerating the region's decarbonization and energy transition.
Jearrard Energy Resources
GreenGo Energy Group AS
Xlinks Ltd
Hydrogene de France SA
Green Tech Egypt LLC
National Organization for Military Production
OAK Group Holdings
Waste to Energy International OU
Scatec ASA
Acwa Power Co
Egyptian Electricity Holding Co
Falcon Capital
Hassan Allam Holding SAW
Abu Dhabi Future Energy Co
Infinity Energy SAE
China Energy Engineering Group Co Ltd
Reliance Industries Ltd
China Energy Engineering Corp Ltd
Power Construction Corporation of China
Urban Green Technologies LLC
Shapoorji Pallonji & Co Pvt Ltd
East China Survey and Design Institute Co Ltd
China Energy Construction International Corp Ltd
Sterling and Wilson Solar Solutions Inc
JA Solar Technology Co Ltd
JinkoSolar Holding Co Ltd
LONGi Green Energy Technology Co Ltd
Canadian Solar Inc
Chint Group Co Ltd
Yingli Green Energy Holding Co Ltd
Trina Solar Co Ltd
Hanwha Solutions Corp
BYD Co Ltd
Enel SpA
Siemens Energy AG
Vestas Wind Systems AS
Nordex SE
PowerChina HuaDong Engineering Corp Ltd
Orascom Construction Plc
Siemens AG
Longyuan Engineering South Africa (Pty) Ltd
Goldwind Science & Technology Co Ltd
Mitsui & Co Ltd
Envision Energy Ltd
General Electric Co
Enercon GmbH
Sany Group Co Ltd
Suzlon Energy Ltd
Dongfang Electric Corp Ltd
Mulilo Renewable Energy
Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd
BYD Company Limited
Volvo Group
Volkswagen AG
Amber Energy
Al Mana Holding
F&B Bio Recyclage Ltd
Eni S.p.A.
National Oil Corporation (Libya)
Shell plc
BP plc
Sonatrach (National Company for Research
Production
Transport
Transformation
and Marketing of Hydrocarbons - Algeria)
Photon Energy NV
Earth and Wire Pty Ltd
AMEA Power LLC
Amber Enerji Makina Logistics Ltd
Almana International Holding Group LLC
Government of Kenya
Egyptian General Petroleum Corp
Egyptian Petrochemicals Holding Co
Honeywell International Inc
Enertrag AG
Linde plc
Navitas Holdings Pty Ltd
Sasol Ltd
Sahara Group Ltd
Societe Nationale d'Operations Petrolieres de la Cote d'Ivoire
Sonangol EP
TotalEnergies SE
Kambic Laboratory Equipment Doo
Eni SpA
National Oil Corp
Energean PLC
Climeworks AG
Great Carbon Valley
Cella Mineral Storage Inc
Sirona Technologies
Octavia Carbon Co
China National Petroleum Corp
Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos EP
Exxon Mobil Corp
Galp Energia SGPS SA
Korea Gas Corp
Sonatrach SpA
ACME Cleantech Solutions Pvt Ltd
Egyptian Electricity Transmission Co
New and Renewable Energy Authority
Sovereign Fund of Egypt
Government of Mauritania
AP Moller Capital AS
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners KS
Eren Groupe SA
Fortescue Future Industries Pty Ltd
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