REM: Africa’s untapped offshore wind energy potential

A background paper by the African Development Bank (AfDB) estimates that Africa has an annual offshore renewable energy production potential of 44.52 TWh of electricity.

However, the development of offshore renewable energy in Africa faces many challenges, such as high costs, lack of infrastructure, regulatory barriers, environmental and social impacts, and knowledge gaps.

Therefore strategic actions are needed to unlock this potential, such as improving data collection and analysis, enhancing regional co-operation and integration, creating enabling policy and regulatory frameworks, mobilising finance and investment, building local capacity and innovation, and ensuring sustainability and inclusiveness, says AfDB.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Africa's energy investment is expected to rise in the coming years, but still falls short of the levels needed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The IEA also highlights the opportunities for offshore wind in Africa, especially in countries like South Africa, Morocco, Egypt, Senegal and Tunisia.