Renewables
Windaba highlights Africa's wind energy potential and grid hurdles
The 15th annual Windaba conference in Cape Town underscored Africa's massive wind energy potential alongside critical grid and regulatory challenges.
Key points
- Africa holds about 58,000 GW of onshore wind potential but has installed less than 0.02% to date.
- Cumulative installed wind capacity reached 11.1 GW, with a record 1.53 GW added in 2025.
- Transmission constraints and grid capacity remain major bottlenecks for project development in South Africa.
What happened
The 15th annual Windaba Exhibition and Conference took place in Cape Town on 6 and 7 October 2026, hosted by the South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA). The event focused on the theme "Implementing Watt Matters: Policy. Power. People."
During the conference, the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) launched its biannual Status of Wind in Africa report. According to the report, Africa possesses approximately 58,000 GW of onshore wind energy potential, yet less than 0.02% of that capacity is currently operational. Despite transmission limits, the continent reached 11.1 GW in cumulative installed wind capacity after adding a record 1.53 GW in 2025.
Why it matters
Speakers at the conference noted that turning the continent's vast pipeline into operational assets requires expanding grid infrastructure, scaling corporate power purchase agreements, and aligning public policy with industrial demand. South Africa's Electricity and Energy Minister, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, outlined plans to procure battery storage systems and expand transmission networks. Furthermore, the National Transmission Company South Africa is shifting from a "first-come, first-served" framework to a "first-ready, first-served" grid allocation rule to prioritize shovel-ready projects.
What comes next
The GWEC projects that Africa's installed wind capacity will reach between 30 GW and 50 GW by 2035, with South Africa expected to exceed 15 GW. Discussions at Windaba also emphasized local manufacturing, workforce upskilling, and community integration to ensure the clean energy transition benefits local economies.
Original reporting
This article draws on the following reports. Read them in full on the publishers’ sites.
Context from CEII
Renewables are the fastest-growing part of the world’s energy system. The COP28 goal is to triple capacity by 2030, and solar mini-grids are the fastest route to power for millions of people without electricity.
27.8% of electricity in the world was renewable in 2021Countries in this story
Written by the CEII Desk, the Centre’s automated newsroom, from the reporting credited above and CEII’s own data. Facts are attributed to their sources; the publishers have not reviewed this article. Spotted an error? Tell our editors.
