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Publishe
Sus ainabili y o Regions
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ANALYSIS OF SOLAR AND WIND ENERGY UTILISATION IN EUROPE AND AFRICA
*
Laila Talbi 1*, Mouna Aba kan 2, Fa ima Ezzah a Sabe 3, Ahmed Loua di 4,
Ju ga Ves e ė 5, Najiba El Am ani El Id issi 6, Joana Ka ina 7
1*,2,3,6Signals, Sys ems and Componen s Labo a o y (SSC), Facul y o Sciences and Techniques, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah
Uni e si y, Fez, Mo occo
1*,2,3,4Indus ial Techniques Labo a o y (IT), Facul y o Sciences and Techniques, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah Uni e si y,
Fez, Mo occo
5,7Depa men o Business Technologies & En ep eneu ship, Facul y o Business Managemen , Vilnius Gediminas Technical
Uni e si y, Vilnius, Li huania
7 Ins i u e o Compu e Science, Facul y o Ma hema ics and In o ma ics, Vilnius Uni e si y, Didlaukio S . 47, 08303 Vilnius,
Li huania
7Facul y o Elec onics and In o ma ics, Vilniaus kolegija / Highe Educa ion Ins i u ion, J. Jasinskio s . 15, 01111 Vilnius,
Li huania
E-mails: 1*laila. [email protected] (Co esponding au ho )
Recei ed 18 Ma ch 2025; accep ed 23 June 2025; published 30 Sep embe 2025
Abs ac . The inc easing eliance on enewable ene gy sou ces is essen ial o achie ing global sus ainabili y, wi h sola and wind ene gy
playing pi o al oles in mi iga ing clima e change and educing dependency on ossil uels. This s udy p esen s an in-dep h compa a i e
analysis o sola and wind ene gy u ilisa ion in Eu ope and A ica, examining he key di e ences in esou ce a ailabili y, adop ion a es,
echnological ad ancemen s, economic ac o s, and policy amewo ks. Eu ope has made signi ican p og ess in eg a ing enewable ene gy
in o i s ene gy mix h ough comp ehensi e policies, subs an ial inancial in es men s, and cu ing-edge echnological de elopmen s. In
con as , despi e possessing immense enewable ene gy po en ial, pa icula ly in sola ene gy, A ica aces conside able challenges,
including inadequa e in as uc u e, limi ed unding, and inconsis en policy implemen a ion. The indings highligh he ba ie s and
oppo uni ies o bo h egions and p opose s a egies o op imise enewable ene gy deploymen , os e ing sus ainable de elopmen ac oss
di e se socio-economic con ex s.
Keywo ds: enewable ene gy; sola ene gy; wind ene gy; Eu ope; A ica; ene gy policy; sus ainabili y; echnological ad ancemen s;
ene gy ansi ion; g id in as uc u e
Re e ence o his pape should be made as ollows: Talbi, L., Aba kan, M., Sabe , F.E., Loua di, A., Ves e ė, J., El Am ani El Id issi, N.,
Ka ina, J. 2025. Analysis o sola and wind ene gy u ilisa ion in Eu ope and A ica. Insigh s in o Regional De elopmen , 7(3), 10-22.
h p://doi.o g/10.70132/z8468559752
JEL Classi ica ions: Q42, Q48, O13.
Addi ional disciplines: ecology and en i onmen ; elec ici y elec onic en i onmen al enginee ing; ene ge ics and he mo-ene ge ics
*
The esea ch leading o hese esul s has ecei ed unding om he p ojec i led "Clus e o inno a i e ene gy" in he
ame o he p og am "HORIZON-MSCA-2022-SE-01" unde he G an ag eemen numbe 101129820
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1. In oduc ion
The global ene gy sec o is unde going a undamen al ans o ma ion d i en by he u gen need o deca bonise
economies and expand access o a o dable, sus ainable ene gy. Renewable ene gy—pa icula ly sola and
wind—has eme ged as a cen al pilla in his ansi ion. O e he pas wo decades, Eu ope has posi ioned i sel as
a global leade in enewable ene gy in eg a ion h ough ambi ious clima e legisla ion, echnological inno a ion,
and s ong ma ke incen i es (Eu opean Commission, 2020; IEA, 2023). No ably, he EU achie ed a 45.3% sha e
o enewables in g oss elec ici y consump ion in 2023, he mos signi ican annual inc ease on eco d, wi h wind
and sola con ibu ing 38.5% and 20.5%, espec i ely. As o ea ly 2025, enewables accoun ed o 47.4% o ne
elec ici y gene a ion, ein o cing he EU's ole as a on unne in clean ene gy deploymen (S a is a, 2025).
In con as , while endowed wi h excep ional sola and wind esou ces, many A ican egions ace pe sis en
s uc u al challenges ha hinde widesp ead enewable ene gy adop ion (Chukwu e al., 2022; Anekwe e al.,
2024). These include unde de eloped g id in as uc u e, high capi al in es men equi emen s, inconsis en
policy amewo ks, and limi ed access o concessional inance (UNEP, 2021). Sub-Saha an A ica, in pa icula ,
emains one o he mos ene gy-poo egions, wi h mo e han 550 million people lacking access o elec ici y as o
2022 (IEA, 2022; Villa -Roldán e al., 2025).
Despi e hese con as s, bo h con inen s exempli y dis inc pa hs owa d enewable ene gy ansi ion. Eu ope
ope a es wi hin a highly in e connec ed, ma u e ene gy ma ke , while many A ican coun ies a e a emp ing o
leap og cen alised ossil-based sys ems h ough decen alised, enewable-based elec i ica ion. C ucially, A ica
is no a monoli hic ene gy landscape. This s udy ocuses on No h, Eas , and Sou he n A ica— egions whe e
enewable ene gy deploymen has been mos ac i e— o e lec in a-con inen al di e si y in oppo uni y and
cons ain .
The p ima y aim o his s udy is o conduc a compa a i e analysis o sola and wind ene gy u ilisa ion in Eu ope
and A ica, wi h pa icula a en ion o how con ex ual, ins i u ional, and in as uc u al ac o s in luence
enewable ene gy adop ion in each egion. The s udy iden i ies egion-speci ic ba ie s and enable s by mapping
hese dimensions, o e ing insigh s adap able o di e ing socio-economic, geog aphic, and go e nance con ex s.
Doing so con ibu es o a deepe unde s anding o how enewable ene gy ansi ions can be egionally esponsi e
and globally ele an .
1.1 Analy ical F amewo k
This s udy employs a ipa i e analy ical amewo k g ounded in ene gy ansi ion and go e nance li e a u e o
guide he compa a i e analysis o enewable ene gy adop ion in Eu ope and A ica. The amewo k ca ego ises
he de e minan s o sola and wind ene gy deploymen in o h ee b oad bu in e ela ed domains: con ex ual,
ins i u ional, and in as uc u al ac o s. These ca ego ies a e in o med by p io s udies in ene gy sys ems
esea ch, sus ainable de elopmen , and compa a i e policy analysis (So acool, 2009; Alex-Oke e al., 2025).
Con ex ual Fac o s
Con ex ual ac o s e e o he en i onmen al, geog aphic, and socio-economic condi ions ha shape he echnical
easibili y and social ele ance o enewable ene gy deploymen . These include:
• Sola i adia ion and wind speed p o iles
• Popula ion dis ibu ion and densi y
• Economic de elopmen le els
• Ene gy access a es and demand pa e ns
• Regional clima e a iabili y and ulne abili y
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In Eu ope and A ica, hese ac o s in luence he physical iabili y o enewable echnologies and he u gency and
design o deploymen s a egies (Skosana e al., 2023).
Ins i u ional Fac o s
Ins i u ional ac o s encompass he policy, legal, and go e nance s uc u es ha suppo o cons ain enewable
ene gy g ow h. These in ol e:
• Na ional and egional ene gy policies
• Poli ical s abili y and egula o y quali y
• In es men incen i es, subsidies, and a i s
• S akeholde engagemen and policy con inui y
• Ins i u ional capaci y o implemen a ion and moni o ing
Ins i u ional s eng h and alignmen a e c ucial o a ac ing in es men , secu ing public us , and ensu ing long-
e m p ojec success (Dube & Ho ey, 2023; Muoneke e al., 2023).
In as uc u al Fac o s
In as uc u al ac o s ela e o he physical and echnical sys ems equi ed o enewable ene gy gene a ion,
in eg a ion, and dis ibu ion. These include:
• G id connec i i y and eliabili y
• Ene gy s o age sys ems
• T ansmission and dis ibu ion in as uc u e
• Access o digi al echnologies (e.g., sma g ids, me e ing)
• Domes ic supply chains and echnical expe ise
While Eu ope bene i s om well-es ablished ene gy ne wo ks and high g id in e connec i i y, many A ican
coun ies ely on agmen ed o non-exis en in as uc u e, in luencing he scale and ype o iable enewable
p ojec s (Nwaigwe, 2021; Dalla Longa & Zwaan, 2024; Chiki e al., 2025).
2.Renewable ene gy po en ial
Sola and wind ene gy po en ial di e s ma kedly ac oss Eu ope and A ica, e lec ing a ia ions in geog aphy,
clima e, and in as uc u e (Ox o d Ins i u e o Ene gy S udies, 2021; Che y e al., 2023; Tachega e al., 2025).
As illus a ed in Figu e 1, which uses syn hesised da a o ep esen gene al ends based on a e age global
da ase s (Global Sola A las, 2023), No he n A ica—pa icula ly he Saha a and Sahel zones—has some o he
highes le els o sola i adia ion globally, o en exceeding 2,000 kWh/m² pe yea .
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Figu e 1. Sola and wind ene gy po en ial in Eu ope and A ica
Sou ce: Gene a ed using syn he ic da a o isualisa ion pu poses
These alues signi ican ly su pass hose o Sou he n Eu ope, whe e he mos i adia ed egions include Spain,
I aly, and G eece, a e aging be ween 1,400–1,800 kWh/m²/yea (Global Sola A las, 2023).
This geog aphical ad an age posi ions A ican egions, pa icula ly No h and Eas A ica, as ideal o u ili y-
scale pho o ol aic (PV) and concen a ed sola powe (CSP) ins alla ions. Despi e his, ac ual deploymen emains
limi ed due o in as uc u al, inancial, and policy cons ain s (REN21, 2021; A DB, 2023).
Wind ene gy po en ial shows a di e en dis ibu ion. Eu ope has subs an ial wind esou ces along i s
no hwes e n coas s and o sho e egions, especially he No h Sea, which has become a hub o high-capaci y
o sho e wind a ms (IEA, 2023; GWEC, 2023). These egions bene i om consis en wind speeds, shallow
wa e dep hs, and p oximi y o indus ial demand cen es. In A ica, wind esou ces a e p omising bu mo e
egionally dispe sed. High wind zones a e concen a ed along he A lan ic and Indian Ocean coas s—pa icula ly
in Mo occo, Sou h A ica, and Kenya—wi h a e age wind speeds o en exceeding 6 m/s a 100 m heigh (UNEP,
2021). Howe e , he exploi a ion o hese esou ces has been slow due o weak ansmission in as uc u e,
limi ed in es men , and policy unce ain y.
These geog aphic pa e ns unde line he impo ance o ailo ing enewable ene gy s a egies o egional
cha ac e is ics. While Eu ope has de eloped a coo dina ed, la ge-scale in eg a ion model, many pa s o A ica
may bene i mo e om dis ibu ed, decen alised enewable ene gy sys ems adap ed o local con ex s.
2.1. Sola Ene gy Po en ial
Sola ene gy po en ial ac oss A ica is among he highes globally, pa icula ly in he Saha a and Sahel egions,
whe e a e age annual global ho izon al i adiance (GHI) o en exceeds 2,000–2,300 kWh/m²/yea (Global Sola
A las, 2023; IRENA, 2022). This makes No h and pa s o Eas A ica excep ionally well-sui ed o bo h
pho o ol aic (PV) and concen a ed sola powe (CSP) ins alla ions. Coun ies such as Mo occo, Egyp , and
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Namibia ha e al eady begun le e aging hese condi ions, wi h landma k p ojec s like he Noo CSP complex and
Benban Sola Pa k leading egional de elopmen (REN21, 2021; A DB, 2023).
By con as , sola po en ial in Eu ope is geog aphically concen a ed in he Medi e anean bel , including Spain,
I aly, and G eece, wi h annual i adiance anging om 1,400 o 1,800 kWh/m²/yea (F aunho e ISE, 2022).
Though lowe han in A ica, Eu ope has achie ed high deploymen a es h ough a ou able policies, g id
eliabili y, and inancing mechanisms. The con inen 's echnological inno a ion—such as bi acial panels and
acking sys ems—has helped inc ease he e iciency o sola cap u e in less op imal en i onmen s (IEA, 2023).
Howe e , while A ica's na u al ad an age in sola po en ial is undispu ed, echnical, economic, and poli ical
challenges con inue o limi la ge-scale deploymen . These include inadequa e ansmission sys ems, limi ed
domes ic manu ac u ing, and unce ain ies in policy execu ion ac oss di e en coun ies. As a esul , despi e i s
supe io sola esou ce base, A ica con ibu es only a small ac ion o global sola capaci y. Mo ing o wa d,
egional coope a ion, c oss-bo de ene gy ma ke s, and decen alised sys ems—such as mini-g ids and sola home
sys ems—o e p omising, con ex -app op ia e solu ions (Adom e al., 2025; Adaji e al., 2025).
2.2. Wind Ene gy Po en ial
Wi h signi ican egional dispa i ies, wind ene gy po en ial is une enly dis ibu ed ac oss Eu ope and A ica.
Eu ope's No h Sea basin, including coas al a eas o Ge many, Denma k, and he Uni ed Kingdom, has become a
global leade in o sho e wind deploymen hanks o high wind consis ency, shallow wa e s, and s ong policy
suppo (GWEC, 2023; Eu opean Commission, 2020). Onsho e wind is widesp ead in Spain, F ance, and Sweden,
whe e long- e m planning and public accep ance ha e acili a ed g id in eg a ion.
In A ica, wind esou ces a e s onges along coas al egions such as Mo occo's A lan ic sho e, Sou h A ica's
Wes e n Cape, and he Ri Valley egions o Kenya. Wind speeds in hese a eas o en exceed 6.5 m/s a 100m
hub heigh , mee ing in e na ional h esholds o comme cial-scale de elopmen (IRENA, 2019; UNEP, 2021).
P ojec s like Lake Tu kana Wind Fa m (Kenya) and Ta aya Wind Fa m (Mo occo) demons a e he iabili y o
la ge-scale wind ini ia i es when suppo ed by poli ical s abili y and g id access.
Ne e heless, A ica's b oade wind de elopmen is hinde ed by high capi al cos s, g id limi a ions, and a lack o
long- e m powe pu chase ag eemen s (PPAs). In many landlocked o poli ically uns able coun ies, bankable
p ojec s emain a e. A key di e ence is ha Eu ope's wind sec o bene i s om con inen al coo dina ion and
in eg a ed elec ici y ma ke s, while A ica's is s ill agmen ed. Fo wind ene gy o scale in A ica, na ional
e o s mus be coupled wi h egional g id de elopmen , s anda dised egula ions, and s onge in es o
sa egua ds.
3. Cu en Adop ion and Ins alled Capaci y
As o 2023, Eu ope and A ica exhibi signi ican dispa i ies in he adop ion o sola and wind ene gy
echnologies, bo h in e ms o ins alled capaci y and he deg ee o which hese sys ems mee egional ene gy
needs (IRENA, 2023; IEA, 2023) (see Figu e 2).
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Figu e 2. Ins alled sola and wind capaci y in Eu ope and A ica
Sou ce: In e na ional Renewable Ene gy Agency (IRENA), 2023.
Acco ding o IRENA, Eu ope accoun s o o e 640 GW o cumula i e enewable ene gy capaci y, wi h
app oxima ely 255 GW om wind and 209 GW om sola . In con as , A ica has a o al ins alled enewable
capaci y o a ound 59 GW, o which sola PV ep esen s jus unde 12 GW and wind app oxima ely 7 GW
(IRENA, 2023).
While hese absolu e numbe s highligh a clea capaci y gap, he con as is mo e nuanced when conside ed
ela i e o demand. Eu ope’s high pene a ion o enewables—pa icula ly in coun ies like Ge many, Denma k,
and Spain—has been in eg a ed in o exis ing powe sys ems o displace ossil uels. Fo example, Denma k
sou ced o e 50% o i s elec ici y om wind powe in 2022 (Danish Ene gy Agency, 2023). Howe e , mos
Eu opean coun ies al eady ha e nea -uni e sal elec ici y access and ma u e in as uc u e.
The si ua ion di e s in A ica: many egions emain ene gy-poo , and e en small-scale enewable p ojec s can
ha e ou sized social and economic impac s. Sub-Saha an A ica, whe e o e 550 million people s ill lack
elec ici y access (IEA, 2022), bene i s eno mously om decen alised sola mini-g ids and o -g id sys ems.
Coun ies like Mo occo, Egyp , and Sou h A ica ha e made no able p og ess, wi h Mo occo's Noo Oua zaza e
CSP plan and Sou h A ica’s REIPPPP wind p ojec s eme ging as con inen al benchma ks (A DB, 2023; REN21,
2021; Daoudi e al., 2025).
Howe e , o he na ions—pa icula ly in Cen al A ica—con inue o lag due o limi ed in es men and
ins i u ional suppo .
Figu e 2 illus a es he cu en dispa i y in ins alled capaci y bu does no ully cap u e he une en ene gy access
o he di e en s ages o ansi ion. In A ica, capaci y expansion mus be aligned wi h deca bonisa ion goals and
b oade de elopmen p io i ies such as elec i ica ion, ene gy jus ice, and u al in as uc u e.
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4. In as uc u al and Economic Fac o s
The a ailabili y o obus ene gy in as uc u e and access o sus ained economic in es men has s ongly
in luenced Eu ope's ad ancemen in enewable ene gy deploymen . O e he pas wo decades, he egion has
de eloped and mode nised sma g id sys ems, expanded high- ol age in e connec o s, and buil la ge-scale
o sho e wind pla o ms, especially in he No h Sea. Coun ies like Ge many, Denma k, and he Ne he lands
ha e adop ed g id-scale ba e y s o age and digi alised g id managemen sys ems o be e balance in e mi en
enewable gene a ion (IEA, 2023; F aunho e ISE, 2022). These in as uc u al ad ancemen s ha e been
ein o ced by p edic able ma ke ins umen s—including eed-in a i s, g een bonds, and capaci y auc ions—
educing in es o isk and accele a ing p i a e sec o engagemen (Laza d, 2022; Eu opean Commission, 2020).
In con as , many A ican coun ies ace subs an ial in as uc u al cons ain s, pa icula ly in u al o o -g id
a eas. Challenges such as low elec i ica ion a es, ou da ed o non-exis en g id ne wo ks, and limi ed ene gy
s o age capaci y hinde he in eg a ion o u ili y-scale enewable p ojec s (IRENA, 2022; an de Zwaan e al.,
2021).
Howe e , A ica also p esen s oppo uni ies o leap ogging adi ional g id sys ems. Inno a ions such as
modula sola mini-g ids, mobile pay-as-you-go sys ems, and communi y-based ene gy coope a i es—especially
in Kenya, Rwanda, and Ghana—demons a e how in as uc u al decen alisa ion can suppo equi able and
adap i e ene gy ansi ions (IFC, 2021; UNEP, 2021).
Despi e he limi ed scale o A ica’s in as uc u e, hese models ha e been highly e ec i e in eaching
unde se ed popula ions and enabling bo om-up ene gy access. Mo eo e , in e na ional pa ne ships and
mul ila e al amewo ks, such as he A ican Con inen al Powe Sys ems Mas e Plan and c oss-bo de
ansmission p ojec s unde Powe A ica, a e beginning o add ess egional in as uc u e gaps (A DB, 2023;
A ican Union Commission, 2021).
F om an economic pe spec i e, Eu opean coun ies ely on domes ic capi al ma ke s and coo dina ed EU
mechanisms. A he same ime, A ican na ions emain hea ily dependen on o eign di ec in es men ,
de elopmen inance, and public-p i a e pa ne ships. This unding asymme y di ec ly impac s he scope and
eliabili y o in as uc u e de elopmen and main enance. I also e lec s mo e p o ound di e ences in ma ke
ma u i y and iscal au onomy. In as uc u al and economic condi ions mus be unde s ood as mu ually
ein o cing. Ra he han p omo ing eplica ion o Eu ope's cen alised g id model, policy and in es men
s a egies should p io i ise con ex - esponsi e in as uc u e adap ed o each egion's ene gy access needs and
inancing eali ies.
5. Ins i u ional and Financial Fac o s
Ins i u ional and inancial s uc u es play a cen al ole in shaping he ajec o y o enewable ene gy deploymen
ac oss Eu ope and A ica. These include o mal go e nance mechanisms, egula o y s abili y, and access o
capi al, which in luences in es men lows, policy en o cemen , and long- e m planning.
In Eu ope, he ene gy ansi ion has been suppo ed by obus , egionally coo dina ed ins i u ional amewo ks
such as he Eu opean G een Deal, he Renewable Ene gy Di ec i e, and he Fi o 55 packages (Eu opean
Commission, 2020; IEA, 2023). These ini ia i es p o ide clea legisla i e a ge s o deca bonisa ion and ensu e
alignmen among membe s a es. Ins i u ional s eng h is also e lec ed in egula o y anspa ency, moni o ing
capaci y, and long- e m policy consis ency. Financial ins umen s such as g een bonds, eed-in a i s, and
enewable ene gy auc ions ha e p o ided s ong p ice signals, educed pe cei ed isks, and a ac ed public and
p i a e sec o in es men (Laza d, 2022; REN21, 2021).
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Tha said, ins i u ional pe o mance in Eu ope is no uni o m. No he n and Wes e n Eu opean coun ies end o
lead in implemen a ion, while Eas e n and Sou heas e n Eu ope ha e aced challenges ela ed o ins i u ional
agmen a ion, weake egula o y en o cemen , and di e ing na ional ene gy p io i ies (IEA, 2022). Public
accep ance o speci ic echnologies (e.g., onsho e wind, biomass) also a ies, a ec ing he pace and di ec ion o
local ansi ions.
In A ica, ins i u ional di e si y is e en mo e p onounced. While no o e a ching con inen al amewo k is
equi alen o he EU, se e al coun ies ha e de eloped e ec i e na ional s a egies. Examples include Mo occo's
In eg a ed Wind and Sola Plan, Sou h A ica's REIPPPP, and Kenya's eed-in a i and ne -me e ing schemes,
which ha e demons a ed policy inno a ion and a ac ed in e na ional in es men (IRENA, 2022; UNEP, 2021).
Howe e , many o he A ican na ions s uggle wi h weak ins i u ional capaci y, inconsis en policy
implemen a ion, and poli ical ins abili y, which o en unde mine in es o con idence and delay p ojec execu ion
(Adebiyi & Moloi, 2024).
A signi ican di e gence be ween he wo con inen s lies in inancial au onomy. Eu ope's ene gy ansi ion is
p ima ily inanced h ough in e nal capi al ma ke s, iscal ools, and EU-wide inancial ins umen s. In con as ,
A ican enewable ene gy de elopmen depends hea ily on o eign di ec in es men (FDI), de elopmen aid, and
public-p i a e pa ne ships (A DB, 2023; IFC, 2021). This dependence in oduces ola ili y, limi s local con ol,
and cons ains s a egic planning, especially in poli ically o economically agile s a es. Addi ionally, issues like
cu ency isk, egula o y unce ain y, and limi ed access o a o dable long- e m c edi de e p i a e in es o s (Pan
e al., 2023).
Table 1 summa ises he key ins i u ional mechanisms and inancial models shaping he enewable ene gy sec o s
in Eu ope and A ica.
Table 1.Ins i u ional and Financial Cha ac e is ics o Renewable Ene gy De elopmen
Region
Ins i u ional Mechanisms
Financial T ends
Eu ope
• Eu opean G een Deal
• Renewable Ene gy Di ec i e
• Fi o 55 Package
• Na ional Ene gy and Clima e Plans (NECPs)
• Coo dina ed EU policy and egula o y
amewo ks
• S ong eliance on domes ic public and
p i a e in es men
• Use o g een bonds, eed-in a i s, and
compe i i e auc ions
• Access o EU capi al ma ke s and
Eu opean In es men Bank (EIB)
inancing
• Risk mi iga ion h ough s able policy
and egula ion
A ica
• Renewable Ene gy Independen Powe
P oduce P og amme (Sou h A ica)
• Mo occo’s Sola and Wind Plan
• Kenya’s Feed-in Ta i and Ne Me e ing
• Regional ini ia i es (e.g., Powe A ica,
AREI)
• F agmen ed c oss-bo de go e nance
• Hea y dependence on o eign di ec
in es men (FDI) and de elopmen aid
• F equen use o public-p i a e
pa ne ships (PPPs)
• Vola ile inancing en i onmen due o
poli ical and cu ency isks
• Ea ly adop ion o g een bonds in
coun ies like Nige ia and Sou h A ica
Sou ce: In e na ional Renewable Ene gy Agency (IRENA), 2022, IEA (2023), REN21 (2021), A DB (2023), UNEP (2021), and Eu opean
Commission (2020).
While Eu ope demons a es he ad an ages o policy ha monisa ion and long- e m planning, A ica's expe ience
highligh s he impo ance o localised go e nance inno a ions and he need o s onge egional policy
coo dina ion. Sus ainable p og ess in A ica will depend on building in as uc u e and he ins i u ional and
inancial ecosys ems needed o suppo i o e ime.
INSIGHTS INTO REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
ISSN 2669-0195 (online)h ps://jssidoi.o g/i d/
2025 Volume 7 Numbe 3 (Sep embe )
h p://doi.o g/10.70132/z8468559752
18
6. Challenges and Oppo uni ies
The ajec o y o enewable ene gy de elopmen in Eu ope and A ica is shaped by s uc u al, ins i u ional, and
economic condi ions, many o which p esen signi ican challenges—bu also open i al oppo uni ies o con ex -
speci ic inno a ion (Cha amba e al., 2025). In A ica, limi ed g id in as uc u e emains one o he mos p essing
cons ain s. Many coun ies s ill ely on isola ed o unde de eloped na ional g ids, making in eg a ing u ili y-scale
enewable ene gy p ojec s di icul . The lack o ansmission capaci y is compounded by weak egula o y
en o cemen , limi ed local manu ac u ing, and a sho age o skilled p o essionals in enewable ene gy sec o s
(A DB, 2023). Financing is also a cen al ba ie : while A ica has seen g owing in e es om in e na ional
in es o s, enewable ene gy p ojec s a e o en pe cei ed as high- isk due o poli ical ins abili y, cu ency
luc ua ions, and egula o y unce ain y (IFC, 2021; UNEP, 2021).
Ne e heless, A ica's decen alised and lexible ma ke en i onmen has enabled a di e en kind o inno a ion.
O -g id and mini-g id solu ions a e inc easingly used o elec i y emo e communi ies wi hou wai ing o ull
na ional g id co e age. Pay-as-you-go sola home sys ems, pa icula ly in Eas A ica, a e examples o how local
inno a ion—combined wi h mobile inance and dono suppo —can add ess ene gy access while building
enewable capaci y (IRENA, 2022). These models o e po en ial no as al e na i es o cen alised in as uc u e
bu as pa allel sys ems ailo ed o u al and unde se ed popula ions (Oko ie, 2025).
The key challenges in Eu ope a e no access bu in eg a ion, equi y, and poli ical consensus. As enewable
pene a ion inc eases, g id s abili y and ene gy s o age ha e become p essing issues, pa icula ly du ing seasonal
demand shi s and ex eme wea he e en s (IEA, 2023). Addi ionally, he expansion o wind and sola p ojec s
has some imes me local esis ance due o en i onmen al o aes he ic conce ns, e ealing he need o mo e
inclusi e ene gy planning p ocesses. These issues sugges ha Eu ope's enewable ansi ion, while echnically
ad anced, also aces impo an social and go e nance ques ions.
Compa ing he wo egions e eals no a linea p og ession bu wo dis inc bu complemen a y pa hways.
Eu ope's cen alised g id-based model, emphasising egula o y alignmen and high- ech solu ions, p o ides
aluable insigh in o sys ems in eg a ion and long- e m planning. A ica's expe ience highligh s he impo ance o
modula , a o dable, and communi y-o ien ed solu ions ha a e esponsi e o de elopmen needs and local
eali ies. The oppo uni y lies no in eplica ion bu in mu ual lea ning and co-de elopmen o esilien and
adap i e ene gy s a egies.
Conclusions
This s udy has examined he compa a i e dynamics o sola and wind ene gy deploymen in Eu ope and A ica,
e ealing how geog aphic, ins i u ional, and economic condi ions shape he pa hways o enewable ene gy
ansi ion in ma kedly di e en ways. While Eu ope has ad anced h ough a cen alised, policy-d i en model
suppo ed by echnological inno a ion and egula o y cohe ence, A ica's ene gy ansi ion is mo e agmen ed
bu lexible, cha ac e ised by decen alised inno a ions and con ex - esponsi e s a egies.
The analysis con i ms ha a one-size- i s-all app oach o enewable ene gy deploymen is nei he easible no
desi able. Eu ope's expe ience p o ides insigh in o g id in eg a ion, inancing mechanisms, and long- e m
planning. Howe e , A ica's ajec o y—especially in egions like Eas and No h A ica—demons a es ha
dis ibu ed, low-cos , and adap i e ene gy sys ems can o e iable al e na i es, pa icula ly in a eas unde se ed
by cen al in as uc u e.
The compa ison is no abou p esc ibing a uni e sal model bu iden i ying wha wo ks, whe e, and why. I
highligh s he impo ance o aligning enewable ene gy s a egies wi h egional de elopmen p io i ies,
