West africa household energy storage

Why is energy access a problem in West and Central Africa?

One-half of the people on the continent cannot turn on a fan when temperatures go up, can’t keep food cool, or simply turn the lights on. This energy access crisis must be addressed urgently. In West and Central Africa, only three countries are on track to give every one of their people access to electricity by 2030.

Is Africa ready for universal energy access?

As the African continent recovers from COVID-19, now is the critical time to accelerate progress towards universal energy access to drive the region’s economic transformation, promote socio-economic inclusion, and unlock human capital growth.

Can a smart management of hydropower help power West Africa?

A smart management of hydropower, combined with solar and wind energy, can provide the flexibility needed to power West Africa and at cheaper cost than using natural gas, according to a simulation model.

What percentage of West Africa's electricity is generated by hydropower?

Hydropower provides 20% of West Africa’s electricity with the remainder mostly generated from natural gas and oil 30, and thus currently accounts for nearly all of its RE. In a few countries, hydropower dominates the generation mix (Fig. 1a ).

How much energy does Africa use per capita?

If an African average annual per capita electricity consumption of 602 kWh (Figs. 4b,e, Supplementary Tables 1 and 2) or a world average of 3,513 kWh (Figs. 4c,f, Supplementary Tables 1 and 2) is assumed, the RE transformation potential reduces largely, manifesting the need for additional RE potential exploitation and innovation.

Can solar & wind power save Ghana's energy demand?

For instance, the solar/wind contribution of 28 TWh yr –1 to total RE generation under the middle bound of the power pool scenario can directly avoid 28 TWh yr –1 of electricity from natural gas, roughly Ghana’s expected on-grid power demand by 2030 (ref. 30 ).