The official opening of the 14th Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) took place today, April 17, 2024, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Angola holds the vice-presidency alongside the Dominican Republic, Georgia, and the Republic of Iraq, under the presidency of Rwanda. The Angolan delegation was represented by His Excellency João Baptista Borges, Minister of Energy and Water, and Angola’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Permanent Representative to IRENA, Júlio Maiato.
The day was dedicated to presenting IRENA’s executive overview in a high-level plenary session focused on tripling renewable energy capacity, as well as official statements from Member States. During this session, countries reported on the progress towards achieving the goals set for renewable energy implementation among the 169 member states of the organization. Ambassador Júlio Maiato, in his capacity as Angola’s Permanent Representative to IRENA, chaired the final session of the day as a discussion facilitator.
Speaking at the 14th IRENA Assembly, His Excellency João Baptista Borges, Minister of Energy and Water, expressed his satisfaction with Angola being accepted as a candidate for the vice-presidency of the Assembly. He also congratulated Rwanda for its excellent work as President, along with the other Vice-Presidents: the Dominican Republic, Georgia, and Iraq.
João Baptista Borges emphasized that the African continent is particularly vulnerable to climate change, with various factors contributing to this vulnerability. “Angola is no different; we face issues such as droughts, water shortages, desertification, and a lack of resilient infrastructure,” he stated.
The minister noted that Angola has achieved exponential growth in its installed electric power capacity in recent years, increasing from 2.4 GW in 2015 to 6.2 GW over the past eight years. Hydropower generation has risen from 39% to around 60%, while thermal generation has decreased from 61% in 2015 to about 36% in 2023.
This development in the energy generation mix was made possible by significant investments, particularly the completion of the Laúca Hydroelectric Project, with a production capacity of 2 GW. The construction of the Caculo-Cabaça Hydroelectric Project is underway, which, once completed, will help reach a production target of 9 GW.
The minister added that Angola has continued restructuring its energy matrix, completing the Biopio Photovoltaic Plants with around 188.80 MW and the Baía Farta Plants with approximately 96.70 MW in 2022. These contribute about 4% to the Public Electricity Production Matrix, saving 3 million tons of fossil fuels annually and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by around 9 million tons. The electricity generation mix also includes the first phase of the Caraculo Photovoltaic Plant, with around 25 MW, in a project that aims to reach 50 MW.
Strategic actions in the sector have led to an increase in the electrification rate to 43% and a reduction in the annual diesel consumption in thermal power plants, from 1.36 billion liters in 2015 to around 560 million liters in 2023, representing a nearly 60% reduction in eight years.
The Minister of Energy and Water stated that significant challenges remain in expanding the power transmission network to distribute a total of 2 GW of available energy. This includes interconnecting with other countries in the context of intra-African energy trade, particularly with Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Angola aims to gain various advantages by selling surplus energy in the regional market.
The minister also highlighted that Angola is implementing important reforms in the electricity sector, including establishing a legal framework for Independent Power Producers, who enjoy specific privileges under current legislation. They operate in a competitive market and have the contractual freedom to sell energy to the public electricity sector through Power Purchase Agreements with the Market Operator.
Lastly, João Baptista Borges discussed the 2023-2027 Energy Sector Action Plan, aligned with the Long-Term Agenda 2050. This plan aims to continue diversifying the energy mix to incorporate at least 72% renewable energy, including 1.2 GW of solar energy by 2027, with a goal of achieving a 50% electrification rate. The total investment required is approximately 12 billion US dollars. In this context, financial institutions and the private sector are expected to play a key role.
This year, the construction of photovoltaic solar parks is expected to be completed in the coming years, with the plants contributing to an increase in the installed capacity of photovoltaic solar generation by 584.50 MW connected to the grid, in addition to 90 MW with 25 MWh of battery storage.
Recently, two important electrification projects were approved and are being implemented in the eastern and southern provinces of Angola, which will provide electricity access to over 6 million residents in 132 localities. These solutions primarily involve solar systems with storage, associated distribution networks, and individual solar systems, which will reduce infrastructure construction time.
On the sidelines of the conference and meetings, His Excellency João Baptista Borges held bilateral meetings with the Minister of Infrastructure and Mineral Resources of São Tomé and Príncipe, where they discussed and shared Angola’s experience in presiding over the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP). He also met with financial institutions such as the IFC of the World Bank and the African Development Bank (ADB) to discuss financing sustainable solutions and collaborating with IRENA.
Continuing his activities, the Minister held bilateral meetings with representatives of potential investors in renewable energy projects, focusing on solutions for rural areas and private sector initiatives. These stakeholders expressed interest in participating in the challenges and proposing rapid solutions to the Angolan government for sustainable energy transition, knowledge transfer, and the implementation of new technologies.
