Wind energy in sub-Saharan Africa: Financial and political causes for the sector's under-development

In this article, the first comprehensive overview of the region's wind energy sector, we describe how sub-Saharan Africa's wind energy markets have evolved over the years, and the structural characteristics affecting the development of wind energy projects on the continent. We identify in the literature a number of social, political, economic and environmental issues affecting wind energy. Our analysis of the 94 wind projects in Africa, focusing on 38 projects located in sub-Saharan Africa, suggests that wind energy markets in Africa remain small, concentrated and nascent. We estimate that only 43 megawatts (MW) have been installed in sub-Saharan Africa at a cost of $122 million and projects worth $612 million are under construction to add 230 MW to the existing capacity. Seven of the eight completed wind energy projects in the region are pilot projects with the only project operating at a commercial scale being the Cabeolica wind farm in Cape Verde. We notice a shift from the use of concessional funding toward non-concessional funding and an increasing participation of the private sector to finance the projects. We also find that the public sector remains a key player in developing the wind energy sector in sub-Saharan Africa.