China-Africa Cooperation on Green Energy Transition

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China is the largest bilateral partner in Africa to develop energy infrastructure projects. According to International Energy Agency, 30 per cent of newly installed power generation capacity between 2010 and 2015 is backed by Chinese contractors and finance. By 2020, over 10 per cent of African total power generation capacity will be developed by Chinese companies. Therefore, it is not an exaggeration to say that China-Africa cooperation in the energy sector would significantly shape Africa’s energy development pathway

However, among over 200 on-going Chinese-backed projects in the energy sector across Africa, non-hydro renewable energy source, such as wind and solar energy projects, are currently playing a relatively small role, contributing to fewer than 4 per cent of a This presents a sharp contrast between China’s significant domestic wind and solar capacity built over the past decade. What are the explanations and what are the barriers that can be noted both within Chinese and African institutions to scaling up wind and solar energy activities? And more importantly how to scale up China’s involvement?

This session will focus on China’s role in Africa’s clean energy transition: the Chinese perspectives, with the following topics and speakers:

1. Overview of Chinese renewable energy activities in Africa. By Wei Shen (Research Fellow, Institute of Development Studies)
2. China’s wind and solar energy investment in Africa: Chinese enterprises’ perspective. By Li Sisheng (Director of Renewable Energy Department, PowerChina)
3. China’s wind and solar energy activities in Africa: the role of financial institutions and export credit agency. By Chen Chaoqi (Deputy General Manager, China Export and Credit Insurance Co.)
4. China’s wind and solar energy activities in Africa: new business models and opportunities? By Bingzhong Yan (Director of International Cooperation, China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute)

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