Conférence internationale en ligne : Cadres réglementaires pour le déploiement et l'intégration de l'énergie solaire dans le secteur électrique des pays africains 

The African School of Regulation (ASR), in collaboration with the International Solar Alliance (ISA), hosted a three-day, open, online, high-level conference to discuss how regulation could enable and promote the deployment and integration of solar electricity generation in African countries’ power sectors at scale and through sustainable models. The conference considered utility-scale power plants, distributed grid-connected solar resources, and off-grid solutions, with a focus on the former.

Contexte

Africa possessed some of the richest solar resources in the world. Yet, despite this potential, as of 2023, the continent’s installed utility-scale solar PV capacity stood at approximately 15 GW—less than 2% of the global total of over 1 TW.² By comparison, the European Union alone had over 260 GW³, and China more than 500 GW⁴.

Africa’s electricity demand was expected to more than double by 2040, driven by population growth—from 1.4 billion at the time to a projected 2.5 billion in 2050—and economic development. More than 600 million people in Africa lacked access to electricity. Solar PV represented a critical opportunity to deliver affordable, clean, and scalable power to meet this demand. Falling technology costs—utility-scale PV levelized cost of electricity had dropped by 89% globally since 2010—made it competitive with fossil fuel generation in many African countries.

However, achieving full electrification, adequate economic development, and a decarbonised economy by 2050 would require hundreds of billions of dollars in new investments, alongside operation and maintenance costs for solar PV generation. These investments needed to be supported by predictable regulatory frameworks that inspired confidence among developers, financiers, and utilities. A sound regulatory framework for solar generation was essential at all levels.