October Spotlight: Clean Energy Momentum Across Africa, the Caribbean & Northern South America

ACEN Energy News — October 2025 Edition

The Official LinkedIn Newsletter of the African & Caribbean Energy Network (ACEN)

About ACEN: The African & Caribbean Energy Network (ACEN) is a leading platform uniting energy professionals, advocates, and organizations to drive sustainable development and accelerate clean, affordable energy access across Africa, the Caribbean, and diaspora communities. ACEN advances innovative projects, fosters strategic partnerships, and empowers changemakers dedicated to ending energy poverty and achieving SDG 7.

October Spotlight: Clean Energy Momentum Across Africa, the Caribbean & Northern South America

As October opens, Africa, the Caribbean, and northern South America are seeing rapid gains in renewable energy investments, groundbreaking project launches, and a robust calendar of decisive events advancing SDG 7 — Affordable and Clean Energy for All.

Regional Breaking News & Major Pledges

• The European Union announced a new €545 million ($638 million) package to accelerate Africa’s clean energy transition, with direct funding for new solar, wind, and hydro projects in Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, Cameroon, Somalia, Ghana, Mozambique, Republic of Congo, Lesotho, and Central Africa.

• At the Global Citizen Festival 2025 in September, historic private sector commitments were unveiled:

• Africa’s electricity generation strategy is strengthening, aiming for access for 300 million people by 2030, with new investments catalyzed by World Bank and regional partners.

Renewable Energy Projects: What’s New and Ongoing

Solar

• Multiple mini-grid and off-grid solar deployments are being fast-tracked, with the EU and Energea funding rural electrification in Madagascar, Cameroon, and Ghana.

• New solar parks and distributed projects are popping up in Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Senegal, led by Globaleq and Pele Energy investments.

Hydro

• Latin America and the Caribbean’s hydropower remains the bulk provider, supplying 51% in the region as of Q3 2025.

• African governments are modernizing legacy hydro plants for resilience, green jobs, and increased capacity, especially in Central, West, and East Africa.

• Guyana’s Amaila Falls hydropower project (165 MW) is advancing for 2027, aiming for continuous clean power as part of Guyana’s push to reach 800 MW of renewables by 2030.

Wind

• South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana benefit from expanded wind investments as part of the continent-wide 1.3 GW boost from Globaleq and greater transmission for cross-border integration.

• The Caribbean is scaling up wind assets with an eye towards hybridization with solar and storage, highlighted at regional summits.

• Suriname is exploring large-scale wind feasibility projects and hybrid microgrid pilots to further boost its renewable mix.

Caribbean, Guyana & Suriname Highlights

Guyana

• Guyana is commissioning eight large-scale solar farms in 2025 under the GUYSOL Program, servicing 25,000+ households and targeting 800 MW renewable capacity by 2030.

• Solar home systems rollout is ongoing for Indigenous and rural communities, and training initiatives for clean energy skills are growing.

• Cooperative agreements with Suriname highlight cross-border clean energy ambitions.

Suriname

• Suriname generates nearly 48% of its electricity from hydropower with an active goal to reach 80% renewable by 2030, including new solar hybrid microgrids and infrastructure upgrades.

• Staatsolie and government officials have reconfirmed their commitment to clean energy through major new project bids this month.

Wider Caribbean

• The region reached 65% clean electricity this year, with hydropower dominant (41%) and solar/wind contributing 17%. Jamaica, Trinidad, and Barbados are launching new distributed solar initiatives and grid modernization.

• The World Bank and multilateral partners are supporting Caribbean resilience and clean energy infrastructure rollouts

Upcoming Energy Events: October–December 2025

• Caribbean Sustainable Energy Forum (CSEF IX) | Grenada, Oct 28–30: CARICOM’s flagship platform for investment and collaboration.

• Nigeria Renewable Energy Innovation Forum | Abuja, Oct 14–15: Focused on breakthroughs in rural electrification.

• International Conference on Climate Change & Just Energy Transition | Abuja, Oct 20–24: On climate justice and inclusive clean energy.

• Renewable Energy Forum Africa (REFA) | Accra, Dec 3–4: Linking Africa’s project developers and policymakers.

• African Energy Efficiency Conference (AfEEC) | Addis Ababa, Dec 10–11: A continent-wide summit on energy efficiency.

• Curaçao Int’l Investment Summit | Dec 2–5: Showcasing Caribbean energy resilience and clean energy strategies.

Awards & Initiatives

• CARICOM Energy Awards nominations extended to September 30, 2025, recognizing top regional renewable innovation.

• Global Citizen’s Scaling Up Renewables in Africa Campaign: Gains momentum ahead of the G20 summit in Johannesburg later in 2025.

Africa, the Caribbean, Guyana, and Suriname are leading historic clean energy deployment and regional cooperation—from new megaprojects, innovative microgrids, and expanded grid infrastructure to global investments and packed year-end events. Momentum is accelerating, with government, private sector, and regional partnerships driving progress toward universal sustainable energy access.

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