Accessible, reliable and affordable energy plays an essential role in human and economic development for the people of Sub-Saharan Africa, especially in improving livelihoods and access to opportunities. Renewables are crucial in this context, promising substantial socio-economic gains whilst also addressing the lack of access to electricity that hampers communities’ climate resilience, limiting their adaptive capacities and increasing their reliance on environmentally harmful fossil-based fuels.

While greater investment in renewables is essential, the creation of enabling environments for private investors could trigger a range of risks for host communities. Many of them are geographically and socio-economically marginalised. The most promising locations for large-scale solar and wind projects in Sub-Saharan Africa are often in rural areas. Yet, an accelerated roll-out of climate and energy solutions with land-intensive requirements would increase competition for land. Many rural residents’ livelihoods rely on the use of land and other natural resources that are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

By examining practices at a number of specific large-scale wind and solar projects in sub-Saharan Africa, this report explores the potential benefits to communities adjacent to such projects. The report discusses benefits in a number of categories, including advantages relating to project siting, ownership structures, investments in community development, skill development and employment opportunities, local procurement, and community energy and gender.

Report by the International Renewable Energy Agency