New Delhi, April 16 (IANS) India can play a key role in helping Africa scale up its renewable energy, as the country has, over the last decade, successfully added over 130 gigawatts of solar and wind capacity, with renewables now accounting for just over half of installed electricity capacity, according to an article.

Across Africa, the energy transition is not a distant policy target; it is a practical attempt to turn sunlight, wind, and mineral wealth into hospitals with steady power, farms that can irrigate after sunset, and factories that can plug into something more reliable than expensive diesel generators, according to the India Narrative article.

It points out that 600 million people in Africa are still without electricity, although access rates are increasing and renewable energy projects are being set up. It sees immense potential for India to provide technology and institutional experience to drive this transition ahead.

“India’s expansion has been driven by competitive auctions, clear policy signals, and a focus on distributed solar that reaches small town grids and rural households. For African governments, some of those lessons — transparent tenders, predictable tariffs, and a strong domestic engineering base — are transferable, even if the exact regulatory design must be adapted to local conditions,” the article written by Zuri Amondi states.

The African continent receives more solar radiation than almost any other region, and between 2020 and 2025, African governments and private investors have already committed roughly 25 gigawatts of renewable capacity, with another 11 gigawatts secured through private sector deals, and solar alone now accounts for a majority of new capacity. Besides, in many African countries, new solar power is cheaper than building new gas-fired plants, especially when transmission and fuel price volatility are factored in, the article pointed out.

It also highlights that Africa is a central piece of the global clean energy supply chain through its critical minerals endowment. The continent hosts a substantial share of the world’s cobalt, copper, manganese, platinum group metals, and a growing share of lithium—materials that underpin batteries, electrolysers, and wind turbines, which would enable Africa to participate in the global industrial economy.

The article points out that Indian utilities have already begun sharing experience with African counterparts on grid modernisation, energy storage, and the integration of variable renewables. Power Grid Corporation of India, for example, has partnered with Africa50 and other African institutions on transmission projects, which can help pool solar and wind across countries and reduce reliance on isolated fossil fuel plants.

“India can help by scaling up patient financing, sharing hard-won lessons on grid integration and solar pump schemes, and supporting African-led rules for critical minerals value addition. If those elements are aligned under strong African institutions and transparent contracts, the India–Africa renewable energy partnership can become a model of how two large, developing regions can build growth, resilience, and cleaner power together,” the article said.

–IANS

sps/vd