Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-m42fx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-20T21:54:36.494Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

4 - Institutional Enablers of Energy System Transition: Lessons from Solar Photovoltaic Electricity in Eight African Countries

from Part I - Mitigating Institutional Voids by Design

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 November 2019

Nuno Gil
Affiliation:
University of Manchester
Anne Stafford
Affiliation:
University of Manchester
Innocent Musonda
Affiliation:
University of Johannesburg
Get access

Summary

In this chapter, we shall study the role of institutions in clean energy transitions in developing countries. Renewable energy (RE) for electricity generation has been proposed as a way to bridge the gap between affordable and clean-energy infrastructure. We shall examine the drivers of past and planned solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity-capacity expansion in eight African countries during a period of rapidly falling technology costs. The countries in our sample that experienced RE expansion do not have liberalized market-oriented electricity sectors, and many provide only limited policy support. Careful cross-case comparisons point to a set of financing, political/regulatory, value capture and technical capabilities that may help to explain RE outcomes. Although these findings are specific to the group of African countries we studied, they may hold lessons for other settings in the ‘second wave’ of RE development.

Type
Chapter
Information
Duality by Design
The Global Race to Build Africa's Infrastructure
, pp. 97 - 129
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2019

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ahlborg, H. and Hammar, L. (2014). Drivers and barriers to rural electrification in Tanzania and Mozambique – Grid-extension, off-grid, and renewable energy technologies. Renewable Energy, 61 (2014): 117124. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2012.09.057Google Scholar
Bird, L., Milligan, M., and Lew, D. (2013). Integrating Variable Renewable Energy: Challenges and Solutions. NREL/TP-6A20-60451 (September), 14. Washington, DC: National Renewable Energy Laboratory. http://doi.org/NREL/TP-6A20-60451Google Scholar
Bridge to India. (2017, 22 May). GST to cause significant disruption to the solar sector. India Solar Weekly. https://bridgetoindia.com/gst-cause-significant-disruption-solar-sector/Google Scholar
Butler, L., and Neuhoff, K. (2008). Comparison of feed-in tariff, quota and auction mechanisms to support wind power development. Renewable Energy, 33(8): 18541867. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148107003242 http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2016/04/26218214/independent-power-projects-sub-saharan-africa-lessons-five-key-countriesGoogle Scholar
Eberhard, A. and Kåberger, T. (2016) Renewable energy auctions in South Africa outshine feed‐in tariffs. Energy Science and Engineering. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ese3.118Google Scholar
Engelken, M., Romer, B. Drescher, M., Welpe, I. M., and Picot, A. (2016). Comparing drivers, barriers, and opportunities of business models for renewable energies. A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 60 (2016): 795809. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2015.12.163Google Scholar
Garcia, C. (2012). Policies and institutions for grid-connected renewable energy: ‘Best practice’ and the case of China. Governance: An International Journal of Policy, Administration, and Institutions,26(1) (January 2013): 119146.Google Scholar
Hermann, S., Miketa, A. and Fichaux, N. (2014). Estimating the renewable energy potential in Africa. IRENA-KTH Working Paper. International Renewable Energy Agency, Abu Dhabi.Google Scholar
IEA. (2014). Africa energy outlook: A focus on energy prospects in sub-Saharan Africa. World Energy Outlook Special Report. Paris: International Energy Agency. https://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/WEO2014_AfricaEnergyOutlook.pdfGoogle Scholar
Ika, L. (2012). Project management for development in Africa: Why projects are failing and what can be done about it. Project Management Journal, 43(4): 2741. 10.1002/pmj.21281Google Scholar
Interviews with Authors. (2016). Conducted by members of the research team with stakeholders in Morocco, Mozambique and South Africa. Transcripts available upon request.Google Scholar
IRENA. (2016a). The power to change: Solar and wind cost reduction potential. Abu Dhabi: International Renewable Energy Agency. www.irena.org/DocumentDownloads/Publications/IRENA_Power_to_Change_2016.pdfGoogle Scholar
IRENA. (2016b) Trends in renewable energy. Renewable Energy Data and Statistics. IRENA. http://resourceirena.irena.org/gateway/dashboard/Google Scholar
IRENA. (2016c). Solar PV in Africa: Costs and markets. Abu Dhabi: International Renewable Energy Agency. www.irena.org/DocumentDownloads/Publications/IRENA_Solar_PV_Costs_Africa2016.pdfGoogle Scholar
ITRPV. (2016). International technology roadmap for photovoltaic (ITRPV): 2015 results including maturity reports. Frankfurt am Main: ITRPV/VDMA. www.itrpv.net/.cm4all/iproc.php/ITRPV%20Seventh%20Edition%20including%20maturity%20report%2020161026.pdfGoogle Scholar
Jacobsson, S., and Bergek, A. (2004). Transforming the energy sector: The evolution of technological systems in renewable energy technology. Industrial and Corporate Change, 13(5): 815849. https://doi.org/10.1093/icc/dth032Google Scholar
Jacobsson, S., and Johnson, A. (2000). The diffusion of renewable energy technology : an analytical framework and key issues for research. Energy Policy, 28(9): 625640.Google Scholar
Jenner, S., Groba, F. and Indvik, J. (2013). Assessing the strength and effectiveness of renewable electricity feed-in tariffs in European Union countries. Energy Policy, 52: 385401. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2012.09.046Google Scholar
Lacey, S. (2016, 20 September). Jinko and Marubeni Bid 2.4 Cents to Supply Solar in Abu Dhabi. How Low Can Solar Prices Go? Green Tech Media https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/jinko-solar-and-marubeni-bid-2-4-cents-for-solar-power-plant-in-abu-dhabi/Google Scholar
Lauber, V. and Jacobsson, S. (2016). The politics and economics of constructing, contesting and restricting socio-political space for renewables – The German Renewable Energy Act. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 18: 147163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2015.06.005Google Scholar
Lema, A., and Ruby, K. (2007). Between fragmented authoritarianism and policy coordination: Creating a Chinese market for wind energy. Energy Policy, 35(7): 38793890. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2007.01.025Google Scholar
Markard, J. and Lüthi, C. (2010). Institutional and organizational contexts for sustainable innovation in sanitation. Cities of the Future Conference. Boston: Water Environment Federation, 889903.Google Scholar
Mohammed, Y. S., Mustafa, M. W. and Bashir, N. (2013). Status of renewable energy consumption and developmental challenges in Sub-Sahara Africa. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 27, 453463. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2013.06.044)Google Scholar
Newsbase. (2016, Oct. 20). Kenya moves to swap FiTs for competitive auctions. REM – Renewable Energy, 42 (531). http://newsbase.com/topstories/kenya-moves-swap-fits-competitive-auctionsGoogle Scholar
North, D. (1992). Transaction costs, institutions, and economic performance. San Francisco, CA: ICS Press.Google Scholar
Reiche, D., and Bechberger, M. (2004). Policy differences in the promotion of renewable energies in the EU member states. Energy Policy, 32. www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421502003439Google Scholar
Reichelstein, S., and Yorston, M. (2013). The prospects for cost competitive solar PV power. Energy Policy, 55: 117127.Google Scholar
Rose, A., Stoner, R., and Pérez-Arriaga, I. Prospects for grid-connected solar PV in Kenya: A systems approach. Applied Energy, 161, 583–590. (http://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2012.11.003)Google Scholar
Smink, M. M., Hekkert, M. P., and Negro, S. O. (2015). Keeping sustainable innovation on a leash? Exploring incumbents’ institutional strategies. Business Strategy and the Environment, 24(2): 86101. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.1808CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tsakhara, P. (2015, March 16). Presentation on the Tanzanian solar PV-hybrid workshop held in Berlin, Germany. TANESCO. www.giz.de/fachexpertise/downloads/2015-tanesco-presentation-tansania.pdfGoogle Scholar
WGIP. (2016). Worldwide Governance Indicators Project. http://info.worldbank.org/governance/wgi/index.aspx#homeGoogle Scholar
World Bank. (2016). Doing business 2016: Measuring regulatory quality and efficiency. Washington, DC:World Bank. DOI:http://10.1596/978-1-4648-0667-4. Licence: Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0 IGO.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×