Panel: Innovations Electrifying Africa

The discussion centered around the urgent need for innovative and multifaceted solutions to electrify Africa, highlighting the continent's growing energy demands and the integration of diverse energy sources, including nuclear power. Africa’s energy needs are so vast that the continent will need to invest in multiple kinds of energy at the same time; companies and countries should focus on the most available sources in each location that can deliver the cheapest possible power to people and companies.  While there is no one-size fits all solutionto making projects successful, there are some common elements, including the importance of having the right infrastructure in place to support these projects.  It is also important for project development companies to work closely and carefully with local communities to understand their needs and concerns and factor those into the projects.  It is also important for projects to have sufficient trained personnel, and governments can play an important role in skills development.  It is also very important that governments put in place a sufficiently robust regulatory environment, with an independent regulator, particularly for areas like nuclear and hydropower.  Discussion points included the importance of risk management in project development and public-private partnerships.  Panelists were all optimistic about the potential for innovative energy solutions in Africa, forecasting that there are likely to be significant new announcements over the coming year in this sector.