East and Southern Africa’s vast renewable energy potential is hindered by a lack of transmission infrastructure in the region, finds the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in a new report.
There is no time to lose. Countries in the region plan to build 100GW of coal-fired power between now and 2040, which would triple CO2 emissions to 1,200 megatonnes annually, says the agency.
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An expanded transmission infrastructure would enable increased power trading across borders and balance supply fluctuations between solar and wind-rich countries. Building a renewables-based power system across the region would require investments of $562bn through 2040, estimates IRENA.
