Africa Energy Conference held in Africa for the First Time

The Africa Energy Forum (aef) has kicked off in Nairobi, Kenya its first time in Africa as part of its 25^th anniversary celebration at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC). The forum which was organized by EnergyNet and officially endorsed by Kenya’s President H.E. Dr. William Ruto will run from June 20^th to 23^rd 2023.

The aef, widely recognized as the premier gathering of decision-makers in African energy, has been instrumental in forming partnerships, identifying opportunities, and driving the industry forward over the past 24 years.

“Kenya’s experience of energy sector potential, policies, investment opportunities and projects exemplify the huge possibilities within the African energy and climate action complex. Decades ago, Kenya boldly invested in the development of its renewable energy potential at a time when it was not fashionable to do so,” said President Ruto.

“The decision has paid off: Renewable sources form 73 % of our installed electricity generation capacity, accounting for over 90% of electricity generated and distributed in the country,” he added.

Simon Gosling, MD of EnergyNet Ltd, said, “We are thrilled to bring the Africa Energy Forum to mainland Africa for the first time, marking this special 25^th anniversary. This edition will provide an unparalleled platform for stakeholders to connect, collaborate, and drive the continent’s energy agenda forward.”

As it enters its 25^th edition, the aef promises to deliver an extraordinary experience for participants, fostering dialogue and promoting collaboration among governments, regulators, utilities, development finance institutions, commercial banks, power developers, technology providers, EPCs, and professional services. KenGen, Kenya’s largest power producer, is the host of this year’s event.

Under the theme “Africa for Africa”, this year’s agenda will prioritise strategic areas such as mining, hydrogen, connectivity, and the “Just Transition”, to advancing projects, partnerships, and business development in the energy sector. Adam Cortese, CEO of Sun Africa said, “We are at the forefront of clean energy in Africa. With our unmatched technical expertise, supply chain capabilities, best-in-class EPC partners, and access to capital, we deliver clean energy solutions with market-leading costs and efficiency, from utility-scale installations all the way down to microgrids.”

“Clean energy is at the core of Sun Africa’s commercial strategy. We deliver clean energy solutions to our partners by providing our partners with vast technical expertise, best in class EPC partners and access to capital. Our solutions have market leading costs and efficiency, including utility scale installations and microgrids,” he added.

Best known for organizing the aef, EnergyNet has established itself as the premier business development meeting place for senior-level decision-makers in Africa’s power sector. With a long-standing record, the aef brings together key stakeholders to discuss, debate, and shape the future of the continent’s power industry.

Running alongside aef, the Youth Energy Summit (YES!) will return for its second edition, dedicated to empowering and equipping the next generation of African energy leaders. YES! will gather over 1,000 participants, including early career professionals, entrepreneurs, students, and educators, to enhance their skills, connections, and business readiness to accelerate access to reliable energy across the continent. Through partnerships with various universities across Africa, YES! aims to engage students and educators in dialogue, better-preparing graduates for today’s fast-moving workforce. This year, with the support of key partnerships spanning corporates, foundations, NGOs, universities, and sector initiatives, YES! can showcase its credentials alongside aef on home soil.

A noteworthy addition to this year’s event is the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), joining as the event’s first foundational partner. Comprising philanthropists, local entrepreneurs, governments, technology enablers, policymakers, and finance partners, GEAPP aims to support developing countries’ shift to a clean energy, pro-growth model that ensures universal energy access and economic development.

Attendees at the aef will have the opportunity to engage with stakeholders and decision-makers from across the continent and around the world. They can participate in high-level panel discussions, interactive workshops, and talks covering a wide range of themes and issues, including the expansion of renewables in Africa, overcoming barriers to energy transition in the mining sectors, and Africa’s potential to become a global hydrogen powerhouse.

Africa Energy Forum will cover a range of exciting themes and topics vital to the African energy sector. With engaging panel discussions and insightful topics, attendees can expect a packed agenda filled with knowledge sharing and valuable insights for the African energy sector.

The increasing pace and scale of renewable energy projects in Africa and project pipelines will be explored, as well as the growing role of Africa’s gas resources in today’s geopolitical context. Discussions and talks will also focus on breaking down barriers to energy transition in the mining sector, the challenges and opportunities around capital flow and risk mitigation in today’s markets and financing the African ‘transition’.

This year’s event will also feature new streams that delve into two important topics: ‘Mining, Critical Minerals and Energy’ and ‘Hydrogen – Africa’s Opportunity’.

By bringing together industry leaders, experts, policymakers, and stakeholders, the aef facilitates the exchange of ideas, best practices, and innovative approaches to address the continent’s energy challenges. Through these engagements, the aef aims to catalyse the development of sustainable energy projects, technologies, and policies that will contribute to the continent’s energy transition and support its economic growth and social development.