Powering Progress: Africa and the Caribbean's Renewable Revolution and Paths to Ending Energy Poverty.

Africa: New Investment, Massive Project Pipeline

Africa's energy landscape is undergoing a historic transformation with a surge in global investment interest, catalyzed by high-profile forums like the U.S.-Africa Energy Forum and Africa Energy Indaba 2025. These forums spotlight fresh opportunities in natural gas, renewables, and critical minerals—especially in countries like Liberia and the DRC. Momentum toward Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) is evident in a project pipeline exceeding 500 GW across the continent, with significant new capacity in solar, wind, and hydropower commissioned in 2024–2025.

Renewable energy investment skyrocketed from $2.6 billion in 2021 to approximately $40 billion in 2024, though this remains below the $60 billion annual investment gap necessary to meet energy needs fully. Africa’s solar PV capacity is projected to surge by 42% in 2025, with at least 18 countries adding over 100 MW of new solar projects each. Countries like South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, and Kenya lead in investment, accounting for three-quarters of renewable energy flow, with emerging markets such as Ghana, Zambia, and Mozambique gaining traction.

Critical minerals extraction (lithium, cobalt, nickel, rare earth elements) complement energy diversification, enabling green hydrogen, energy storage, and off-grid electrification technologies. Collaborative efforts among African governments, national laboratories, and international partners notably in Ghana, Egypt, Kenya, and Chad are boosting capacity planning and resilient, affordable power systems for the future.

Despite these advancements, nearly 600 million Africans remain without electricity, highlighting the urgency of innovative financing, local capacity building, and broad technology deployment. The clean energy transition has the potential to create up to 14 million green jobs by 2030, while addressing climate risks and economic growth imperatives.

Caribbean: Surging Renewables and Regional Policy Moves

The Caribbean continues to build on substantial clean energy gains, producing 162 TWh of electricity in January 2025, with 65% derived from renewable sources including hydropower, wind, and solar. Prominent developments like TotalEnergies’ acquisition of 1.5 GW of AES renewable assets in the Dominican Republic and significant grid storage investments in Puerto Rico are driving grid modernization and energy resilience.

Countries like Curaçao are on course to achieve 70% renewable penetration by 2027, leveraging solar, wind, and battery storage as exemplars for other islands and remote grids throughout the region. These advancements showcase the Caribbean's growing role in clean energy leadership and technology-driven transformation.

Upcoming Events & Recognition

• U.S.-Africa Energy Forum, Houston (August 2025): A critical platform fostering U.S.-Africa collaboration around energy, infrastructure, and critical minerals development.

• CARICOM Energy Awards 2025: Open for nominations until August 31, recognizing the Caribbean’s leading clean energy innovators.

• Ninth Caribbean Sustainable Energy Forum (CSEF IX), Grenada (October 28–30): The flagship regional event for energy policy dialogue and resilience strategies.

The African & Caribbean Energy Network (ACEN) Alignment

The exciting growth in Africa and the Caribbean’s energy sectors aligns seamlessly with ACEN’s mission to end energy poverty for 1 million people across Africa and the Caribbean by 2035. ACEN is committed to accelerating access to affordable, clean, and reliable energy, thereby advancing UN Sustainable Development Goal 7.

ACEN’s multi-faceted approach includes promoting innovation, empowering local economies through job creation, driving public-private collaborations, and advocating for responsible energy governance and sustainability. The network supports expanding renewable megaprojects, decentralized solar, and off-grid solutions—critical strategies to bring electricity to households, businesses, schools, and healthcare centers that remain underserved.

Bridging the $60 billion annual energy investment gap requires mobilizing diverse financing sources, capacity building, and ensuring policies that promote inclusive growth and environmental stewardship. As African and Caribbean energy markets mature with new projects and partnerships, ACEN stands ready to translate these developments into real-world impact—lighting homes, powering enterprises, and transforming lives for millions.

Key Takeaway

Africa and the Caribbean are not only expanding their energy markets but are setting new benchmarks in renewable deployment, investment collaborations, and policy innovation for a sustainable energy future. Driven by institutional resilience, technological advancement, and regional cooperation, the energy transition offers an unprecedented opportunity to empower communities and achieve energy equity—realizing a shared vision of prosperity and sustainability.

For more information and partnership inquiries, visit the African & Caribbean Energy Network at www.acenergynetwork.org