The Africa Renewable Energy Manufacturing Initiative brought together businesses from Africa and China at the SNEC 16th International Photovoltaic Power Generation and Smart Energy Conference as part of its mission to deliver a green industrial revolution in Africa.
In a new show of South-South cooperation, the roundtable united leadership from 9 African and 14 Chinese energy businesses, as well as financiers and energy sector experts, to identify opportunities and strategies for increasing Africa’s renewable energy manufacturing and export capabilities. There was a specific focus on the potential for investment, and knowledge and technology transfer between Africa and China.
This opportunity for African businesses to directly express their needs for scaling up operations to Chinese counterparts was organized by Sustainable Energy for All and the Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association. Both are partners in the Africa Renewable Energy Manufacturing Initiative, along with the African Climate Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and ClimateWorks Foundation.
“African countries can benefit greatly from local renewable energy manufacturing in terms of economic development, climate change mitigation and energy security,” said Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All. “But they need support to grow these industries and make them competitive, which calls for international collaboration with global leaders in renewables development.”