The 14th Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) officially began on April 17, 2024, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Angola is participating as one of the vice-presidents alongside the Dominican Republic, Georgia, and Iraq, with Rwanda holding the presidency. Angola’s delegation includes His Excellency João Baptista Borges, Minister of Energy and Water, and Júlio Maiato, Angola’s Ambassador to the UAE and Permanent Representative to IRENA.
The opening day featured a high-level plenary session centered on IRENA’s executive overview, which highlighted the objective of tripling global renewable energy capacity. Member states provided updates on their progress toward renewable energy goals established by the organization’s 169 participating countries. Ambassador Júlio Maiato presided over the final session of the day in his role as Angola’s Permanent Representative.
Minister João Baptista Borges expressed his pride in Angola’s vice-presidential role and congratulated Rwanda on its leadership, along with the other vice-presidents. He underscored the significant challenges Africa faces due to climate change, including Angola’s issues with drought, water scarcity, desertification, and insufficient infrastructure.
Borges noted that Angola’s electricity generation capacity has grown from 2.4 GW in 2015 to 6.2 GW over the past eight years. The proportion of hydroelectric power in Angola’s energy mix has increased from 39% to nearly 60%, while dependence on thermal power has decreased from 61% to around 36% since 2015. These advancements are primarily driven by substantial investments, including the completion of the 2 GW Laúca Hydroelectric Plant and ongoing construction of the Caculo-Cabaça Hydroelectric Plant, which is expected to help Angola achieve a total capacity of 9 GW.
The minister highlighted key photovoltaic projects such as the Biopio Plant (188.80 MW) and the Baía Farta Plant (96.70 MW), which together contribute approximately 4% of Angola’s public electricity supply. These initiatives have saved the country 3 million tons of fossil fuel annually, reducing carbon emissions by around 9 million tons. The first phase of the Caraculo Photovoltaic Plant (25 MW) is underway, with plans to expand to a total capacity of 50 MW.
Angola’s electrification rate has risen to 43%, while diesel consumption for thermal plants has been cut by nearly 60%, from 1.36 billion liters in 2015 to 560 million liters in 2023. Despite these achievements, Borges acknowledged that Angola still faces significant challenges, particularly in expanding its energy transmission network to distribute the available 2 GW of energy. Plans are underway to establish interconnections with neighboring countries, including Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, to promote intra-African energy trade and generate revenue from surplus energy.
The minister outlined ongoing reforms in the energy sector, including new legal frameworks for Independent Power Producers (IPPs), enabling them to operate in a competitive market and sell energy to the public grid through Power Purchase Agreements. Borges also discussed the 2023-2027 Energy Sector Action Plan, which aligns with Angola’s 2050 Long-Term Agenda. This plan targets a 72% share of renewable energy in the national grid, including 1.2 GW of solar energy by 2027, and aims to achieve a 50% electrification rate. Realizing these goals will require approximately $12 billion in investment, with key contributions expected from financial institutions and the private sector.
This year, Angola anticipates completing several new photovoltaic solar parks, adding 584.50 MW of solar capacity and incorporating 90 MW with 25 MWh of battery storage. Two major electrification projects are also progressing in the eastern and southern provinces, set to deliver electricity to over 6 million people across 132 localities. These projects will primarily use solar systems with storage and associated distribution networks, significantly shortening construction timelines.
On the sidelines of the assembly, Minister Borges held bilateral discussions with the Minister of Infrastructure and Mineral Resources of São Tomé and Príncipe, sharing Angola’s experience in leading the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP). Meetings with financial institutions, including the IFC of the World Bank and the African Development Bank (ADB), focused on securing financing for sustainable energy solutions and strengthening collaboration with IRENA. Additionally, Borges engaged with potential investors in renewable energy projects, particularly those targeting rural areas and private sector initiatives. Investors expressed strong interest in supporting Angola’s energy transition through knowledge transfer, technological advancements, and innovative solutions.
