Africa added 2 GW of hydropower last year, but IHA says 90% of on-river potential untapped
New hydropower capacity by region in 2023
Photo by International Hydropower Association
Africa added over 2 GW of hydropower capacity in 2023 but 90% of the continent’s on-river hydropower potential remains untapped, a new report states.
Published by the International Hydropower Association (IHA), the ‘2024 World Hydropower Outlook’ reports that Africa added more new capacity in 2023 than any region besides East Asia, where 8 586 MW was added.
Nigeria (740 MW), Uganda (408.2 MW), and the Democratic Republic of Congo (381.7 MW) were also among the top 10 countries worldwide for new installations.
Nevertheless, at 42 GW, Africa’s installed hydropower capacity, which last year produced 158 TWh, was still lagging that which is found in other continents and further expansion, the IHA argues, will require private funding, policy certainty and international support.
“Nigeria alone has the potential to exceed 14 120 MW, translating to over 50.8 TWh annually,” the report states, while noting that Cameroon boasts 20 GW of untapped potential and Angola a further 12 GW.
IHA chairperson Anton-Louis Olivier, who is also Serengeti Energy CEO, argues that the “increasingly solar-power dominated power systems that we are seeing across the continent” will require not only the maintenance of the existing fleet but the addition of new hydropower capacity.
IHA president Malcolm Turnbull underlines this point, arguing that hydropower could complement variable renewable energy such as solar PV and wind by providing “balance and flexibility”.
“Governments need to plan for a balanced mix of renewable energy, including for both generation and long-duration storage,” Turnbull adds.
Comments
Projects
Latest Multimedia
Latest News
Showroom
From batteries for boats and jet skis, to batteries for cars and quad bikes, SABAT Batteries has positioned itself as the lifestyle battery of...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Goodwin Submersible Pumps Africa is sole distributors for Goodwin electrically driven, submersible, abrasion resistance slurry pumps.
VISIT SHOWROOM
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
