With the 1.4 GW flood of new solar generation capacity added across North Africa in 2019 having slowed to a trickle of just 36 MW last year, an English data company has warned policymakers across the continent will have to decide their energy priorities. Coverage also includes TOPCon vs. HJT solar, co-location for green hydrogen production, price movements amid the polysilicon shortage, and the trends informing Southeast Asian PV growth. The effects on the solar industry were particularly stark in North Africa, where African Energy MD John Hamilton reported 3.1 GW of new gas generation capacity – of the 3.2 GW of gas added across the continent in 2020 – helped the region account for 4.3 GW of the 7.7 GW of projects installed across all of Africa. Hamilton cited “awkward regulatory and political blockages” as halting an energy transition which had seen 500 MW of solar projects added in 2018, before the following year's 1.4 GW peak. Popular contentThe analyst said gas dominated the new generation capacity added in 2020, ahead of hydropower, which added a net 911 MW across the sub-Saharan Africa region from which African Energy Live Data removes special case South Africa.

Source: The North Africa Journal May 24, 2021 11:48 UTC