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Enabling evidence-based energy system decisions for sustainable development in Africa
Resources of AISESA:
Through its publications, webinars and stakeholder engagement, AISESA fills critical knowledge gaps in the nexus of energy, climate and development in different African contexts. This includes developing context-relevant scenario modelling, locally embedded implementation pathways, feasible policy mixes, and innovative ways to access finance and technology. AISESA is strongly committed to producing transformative knowledge, developing concrete steps on how knowledge translates to action on the ground.
Towards resilient and inclusive climate compatible development: a participatory, mixed-method scenarios approach for Zambia
Climate-compatible development must be both resilient to shocks and inclusive by design.
Using Zambia as a case study, this paper applies a participatory, mixed-method scenarios approach to explore alternative development pathways, highlighting how governance choices shape climate resilience, equity, and long-term development outcomes.
AISESA Concludes Three-Day Workshop on Africa’s Energy Transition and Sustainable Pathways
The AISESA workshop in Cape Town (Sept 17–19, 2024) convened over 100 experts to develop strategies for Africa’s sustainable energy transition, focusing on five strategic clusters: clean energy pathways, implementation, governance, finance and technology, and capacity building. Key discussions emphasized local ownership, open-source energy modeling, access to finance, and strengthening institutions to align energy development with Africa’s social and economic goals.
AISESA at COP29
A range of different AISESA members are invited speakers in a wide range of Blue Zone Side Events at COP29, as well as in bilateral consulting sessions with heads of state, the Secretary General of the United Nations and other senior-level policy makers
A green hydrogen revolution in Africa remains elusive under current geopolitical realities
Africa’s green hydrogen potential is vast, but its promise remains largely unrealized.
However, this paper argues that under current geopolitical and extractive development models, green hydrogen risks reproducing old inequalities. It calls for African-led strategies that prioritize domestic value creation, equitable partnerships, and alignment with Agenda 2063.
AISESA Inception Global Seminar
Africa’s energy sector has evolved through decades of research, shifting from post-colonial knowledge-building to calls for African-led, inclusive, and justice-oriented solutions, yet persistent institutional, political, and implementation barriers have stalled progress. With this Seminar, we launch the African Institute of Sustainable Energy and Systems Analysis (AISESA, based on a renewed vision emphasizes bridging the gap between research and policy.
AISESA Webinar: How can fossil fuel-producing LMICs drive their development in a carbon-constrained world?
The webinar underscored the complex “triple diversification challenge” faced by fossil fuel–dependent LMICs, which must decarbonize their energy systems, diversify their economies, and ensure a just transition for affected communities. Tailored, context-specific strategies supported by global cooperation, climate finance, and capacity-building are essential to transform resource wealth into inclusive, sustainable development aligned with the SDGs.
AISESA Webinar on Critical Minerals in Africa
The webinar stressed the need for a sustainable, inclusive approach to mining Africa’s critical minerals by minimizing environmental harm and maximizing socioeconomic benefits through value addition, responsible practices, and intersectoral linkages. Regional cooperation, local content policies, and investments in skills and institutional reform were seen as vital to ensuring that mineral development drives long-term economic transformation and equitable growth across the con
AISESA Research Webinar on Diversifying Energy Knowledge: Beyond Technology to Inclusive Solutions
The webinar highlighted the need for African-specific, people-centered, and interdisciplinary energy solutions that integrate justice, local knowledge, and systemic considerations beyond project-based models. Emphasizing the importance of African institutional autonomy and equitable collaboration, participants called for co-created innovations, stronger policy integration, and targeted investments to drive a just and effective energy transition.
Green hydrogen production and use in low- and middle-income countries: Aleast-cost geospatial modelling approach applied to Kenya
Where and how green hydrogen is produced matters as much as how much is produced. Using a least-cost geospatial modelling approach, this paper assesses where green hydrogen production in Kenya is economically viable across domestic and export use cases, offering practical insights for planning hydrogen strategies in low- and middle-income countries.
Just Transition: A Climate, Energy and Development Vision for Africa
A just transition in Africa must be defined by African priorities, not imported narratives.
This report sets out a people-centred vision for aligning climate action, energy transformation, and development in Africa. It critiques donor-driven transition models and calls for African ownership, equity, and structural economic transformation at the core of the continent’s just transition agenda.
Africa needs context-relevant evidence to shape its clean energy future
Africa’s clean energy future cannot be shaped by one size fits all solutions. This paper argues that African countries face fundamentally different starting points, development priorities, and risks in their energy transitions. Drawing on country cases including Ethiopia, South Africa, Burkina Faso, and Mozambique, it calls for context-specific, African-led evidence to guide energy choices that align climate action with development.
An action agenda for Africa’s electricity sector: Modernisation and expansion requires heightened efforts
Africa’s electricity sector must expand rapidly while becoming cleaner, more affordable, and more resilient. This paper sets out a practical action agenda to modernise Africa’s power systems, combining electrification, renewable energy deployment, regional integration, and institutional reform to deliver inclusive and sustainable development.
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