Energy has been recognized as a central aspect to sustainable development. This goes to the extent that Africa’s economic growth could by boosted by 30% in the next 20 years if the energy gap were to be closed. Sub-Saharan Africa, however, has the lowest energy access rates in the world: More than 600 million people in Africa lack access to clean, affordable, and reliable energy. Critical issues in Africa’s energy sector are manifold: low access, poor reliability, and high costs of power tariffs. Higher levels of energy services are critical to improve human, economic, social, and environmental conditions of the people today and for future generations. Broadly speaking, Africa’s energy poverty makes the continent poor. But how can we address Africa’s electricity challenges and power the continent’s economic transformation?
