energy
A powerhouse for regional integration

A powerhouse for regional integration

The dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Grand Renaissance Dam on the Nile might offer hidden opportunities The Nile is the longest river in the world, but also the source of water for two great civilisations....

Wind and solar change the game  

Wind and solar change the game  

As DRC’s Inga 3 hydropower project falters, questions are being asked about the financial risk to both host and its main client, South Africa Seven years ago, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) proposed the Inga 3...

A lesson in democratising energy

A lesson in democratising energy

Togo’s government wants rural communities to produce their own, affordable electricity   Africa is suffering from a major shortage of power despite having huge potential. According to the World Bank, the...

Book review

Book review

The Political Economy of Energy in Sub-Saharan Africa Edited by Andrew Emmanuel Okem and Lucky E Asuelime. Routledge, London and New York; 2018 In pre-industrial society, one used wood and fire for heat and light,...

Charcoal: vast, vital and often criminalised

Charcoal: vast, vital and often criminalised

If forests are properly managed and harvested, charcoal could be a renewable energy source that does not destroy the environment. Charcoal is one of the most important commodities in sub-Saharan Africa. In southern and...