Africa aims for single power pool with renewables by 2040

African governments are working towards a single power pool that will integrate renewable energy by 2040.

Accelerated Partnership for Renewables in Africa secretariat head Safiatou Alzouma says while the initial plan for a single power pool did not include renewable energy, discussions have evolved to incorporate it.

“When they started the discussion, they didn’t consider variable renewable energy resources that are along the lines.We worked with them to raise their awareness of the existence of those kinds of renewable energy resources that could be harnessed,” says Alzouma.

She was speaking on the sidelines of the International Renewable Energy Agency 15th Assembly in Abu Dhabi this week.

Tanzania will be the connection between eastern and southern Africa, according to Alzouma.

In 2021 the African Union launched the African Single Electricity Market (Afsem).

Afsem is expected to interconnect the five power pools, leading to the largest electricity market in the world.

Currently the continent has the Central Africa Power Pool, Eastern Africa Power Pool, North African Power Pool, West African Power Pool and Southern African Power Pool.