A report issued by the Global Wind Energy Council revealed that South Africa, Egypt, and Morocco account for more than eighty-five percent of the total installed wind energy capacity across the African continent, while the continent recorded unprecedented additions reaching
one point fifty-six gigawatts during the past year. In a related context, Egyptian energy expert Osama Fawzi, founder and CEO of Hydrogen Intelligence platform, stated in press remarks that the concentration of wind energy projects in these three countries is
mainly due to the availability of suitable locations for establishing stations, alongside supportive government policies encouraging investment in the renewable energy sector. He explained that a wide segment of African countries is shifting towards solar energy as a result of
its lower investment costs compared to wind projects, indicating that expansion in renewable energy does not rely solely on natural resources, but requires a clear legislative and regulatory environment capable of effectively attracting investments. Fawzi continued that the absence of
stimulating legal and regulatory frameworks in some African regions hinders investors from entering the wind energy market, unlike Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa, which provide supportive investment mechanisms including long-term electricity purchase contracts that may extend for thirty or thirty-two
years. He noted that such contracts grant investors a clearer vision regarding future revenues, contribute to evaluating the economic feasibility of projects, and ensure the recovery of construction costs, pointing out that electricity purchase pricing and contract durations are fundamental
pillars in making investment decisions. He concluded by stressing that the process of developing electricity grids is a pivotal requirement for expanding wind power projects, given that infrastructure fragility and limited grid absorption capacity may hinder the transmission of generated
energy to consumers, even with the availability of resources and funding, emphasizing the necessity of integration between investment policies and grid development plans.
