Enabling solar photovoltaics penetration in highly dependent African fossil fuel markets

The implication of the increasing push for the global deployment of more sustainable fuels is multidimensional. While there is a consensus to mitigate further emissions by increasing the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix, the response rate varies. For African countries, participating in the renewable revolution can only be rational when combined with the primary concerns of improving reliability and connecting unconnected areas. Achieving this would require careful consideration for the local context of individual countries based on specific energy landscapes and markets. It gets more complicated when it comes to countries whose economies depend on oil revenue; and electrification relies on heavily subsidized fossil fuels. This chapter explores the African energy transition from the perspective of the top tree oil producers, highlighting the development of renewable energy especially solar photovoltaics over the past decade and comparing this growth to that of nonoil-producing countries.