Closing the Loop on Energy Access in Africa

The Energy Storage Partnership, the Global Battery Alliance, World Economic Forum, and the Faraday Institution collaborated on a new report: Closing the Loop on Energy Access Report.

The report looks at the role of batteries in supporting sub-Saharan Africa’s energy access goals. Key report findings and recommendations include:

• Batteries are crucial to supporting Africa’s energy access goals, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Improvements in energy access over the next decade will drive an estimated seven- to fourteen-fold increase in stationary battery capacity in the region, to 83 GWh.
• Meeting the growing battery demand with lower economic, environmental and human costs will require high-quality recycling and repurposing, currently non-existent across most African countries.
• High-quality recycling and repurposing also create additional benefits, through employment and upskilling opportunities.

The Energy Storage Partnership is a global partnership convened by ESMAP/World Bank to foster international cooperation to adapt and develop energy storage solutions for developing countries.