Renewable Energy Research in Africa: A Bibliometric Review

Renewable Energy Research in Africa: A Bibliometric Review (1979–2022)

Introduction

Renewable energy has emerged as a cornerstone of Africa’s sustainable development agenda. With abundant solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal potential, the continent has opportunities to leapfrog into a low-carbon future. To understand how renewable energy research has evolved across Africa, a bibliometric study (1979–2022) examined key trends, collaborations, and research gaps.

Key Findings

• Growth in Publications: Research output on renewable energy in Africa has steadily increased since the 2000s, with a sharp rise after 2010.
• Dominant Countries: South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, and Kenya are leading contributors, reflecting their growing investments in higher education and energy transition programs.
• Research Themes: Major topics include solar photovoltaics, bioenergy, wind energy, hydropower, and energy efficiency.
• Collaboration Networks: International partnerships, especially with Europe and Asia, drive much of Africa’s renewable energy research. However, intra-African collaboration remains limited.
• Gaps Identified: Research often focuses on technology development but less on deployment models, financing, and policy integration needed for large-scale impact.

Implications for Energy Access

• Evidence shows the need to strengthen local research ecosystems to address context-specific challenges.
• Increased South–South collaboration could accelerate knowledge transfer across the continent.
• Research should move beyond technical potential to include policy, business models, and socio-economic impacts of renewable energy systems.

Conclusion

Africa’s renewable energy research landscape is growing, yet uneven. Closing gaps in collaboration and policy-oriented research will be critical for scaling renewable energy solutions that can support universal energy access by 2030.

Attribution

This article is based on: Ding, Y. et al. (2024). "Renewable Energy Research in Africa: A Bibliometric Review (1979–2022)." International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning, 19(2), pp. 373–384. Licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0. Original available at: IIETA Journal.