A global power

By assisting Africa in the construction of electricity infrastructure, China can bring in international standard regulations in the new-energy sector

In the face of growing threats from climate change, countries around the world are now under mounting pressure to accelerate their energy transition. Collaboration between nations can effectively reduce the costs of the energy transition and exert a positive influence on global climate governance. Over the years, China has established stable and mutually beneficial cooperation relations with various African countries, and there is vast potential for China-Africa cooperation in the sector of energy transition.

Broadly speaking, the cooperation focuses on two main aspects. The first is that the two sides collaborate on clean energy such as wind power and photovoltaics, leveraging Africa's abundant clean energy resources and China's strength in industry chains to achieve mutual complementarity. As many regions in Africa are located near the equator, they get ample sunlight, making them resource-rich for solar energy. Additionally, the continent's vast plateaus and mountainous areas as well as coastal regions, frequented by winds from both the ocean and the inland areas, boast rich wind power resources. However, due to present financial and technological constraints, the development of clean energy resources in Africa has been slow. China has accumulated extensive technical experience in clean energy sectors such as wind and solar power through years of development. With its complete industry chain and sound planning in production capacity, China possesses strengths in cost and technologies. Through opportunities such as South-South cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative, China and Africa can amplify the advantages of both sides and realize a win-win situation in new energy cooperation. On the one hand, new energy cooperation can help Africa alleviate its power supply shortage and contribute to the green development of the continent's energy system. On the other hand, the cooperation can help Chinese new energy enterprises go global and seek new growth drivers and development paths. Therefore, such cooperation serves the interests of both sides and contributes to the realization of global climate governance goals.

The second aspect is that the cooperation between China and Africa focuses on the construction of electricity infrastructure to address the issue of inadequate access to electricity and support the continent's economic growth. In sub-Saharan Africa, a significant portion of the population still lacks access to electricity. Apart from the low levels of power generation, a lack of high-quality power grid equipment and inadequacies in electricity infrastructure are major reasons behind the power shortages. Furthermore, insufficient power grid capacity also hampers countries with surplus power, such as Egypt and Ghana, from exporting it or increasing supply to domestic regions where power is needed the most. A lack of technical capabilities and investment shortages have significantly delayed the development of Africa's electricity infrastructure, posing an obstacle to the growth of power consumption and the economy and leading to a situation where the power industry and economic growth are constraining each other.

Through cooperating on the construction of power infrastructure, African countries can leverage China's technological expertise and enable the expansion of their production capacity and markets. This cooperation can help solve the problem of inadequate access to electricity in Africa and drive economic growth. This collaboration aligns with the principles of the Belt and Road Initiative and ushers in new mutual benefits for both China and Africa, effectively promoting global low-carbon transition and development.

The following policy measures are proposed for China-Africa cooperation in the energy sector. First, it is important to leverage the country's industry chains and technologies to help Chinese energy enterprises go global. The overall competitiveness of industry chains is a significant advantage of China's new energy sector. China's new energy technology is known for its competitive costs, higher applicability, and greater stability. The new energy sector represents a crucial procedure for China to be at the forefront of global energy development. Cooperation between China and African countries in the new energy sector will significantly help promote Chinese new energy enterprises to expand their business in the international market.

Additionally, China has accumulated considerable expertise in the construction of power infrastructure. Cooperation with African countries in this area will not only help China fulfill its due international responsibilities but also demonstrate its sense of mission and dedication in participating in global climate governance. It can also promote in-depth and high-quality development of China-Africa trade. Therefore, more favorable policies should be rolled out to utilize opportunities such as South-South cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative, and encourage more Chinese enterprises in the new energy and power grid sectors to prioritize the African market and invest in, construct, and promote more projects in African countries.

Second, it is important to strengthen long-term cooperation mechanisms to mitigate potential uncertainties and risks. With heightened strategic planning of Western countries in Africa, China-Africa cooperation in the energy sector faces potential political risks. Therefore, across-the-board assessment of political risks is needed before advancing cooperation projects, including evaluations on factors such as political environment, national stability, legal framework, and policy changes, in order to get prepared for their potential risks and impacts.

Meanwhile, it is important to establish stable and multi-level cooperation mechanisms with African countries, including cooperation between governments, local authorities, non-governmental organizations and enterprises. Establishing these mechanisms is expected to guarantee effective communication and coordination between China and African countries in energy projects, and resolve potential political issues through partnerships.

Third, the two sides should deepen exchanges over new energy technology and focus on the training of talent in the energy sector. Currently, the new energy sector is still in an early stage of development in terms of systems, technologies and markets. Cooperation between China and African countries in the new energy industry is part of their exploration of the development process. Therefore, it is important for both sides to strengthen dialogues and exchanges over technologies and jointly draw experiences in the drafting of policies and regulations and work together to accelerate the growth of the new energy sector.

Fourth, assisting African countries by offering talent training and technology exchanges is also essential. China can invite African countries to participate in its training programs to share its experience in energy technology and management. China can also dispatch experts to African countries for technical guidance and knowledge transfer. Technology exchanges and talent development can also help promote the formulation of international standards in the new energy sector, improve international standard systems, and enhance China's participation and contribution to the fine-tuning of international standards and regulations in the new energy sector.

The author is a researcher with Tan Kah Kee Innovation Laboratory and dean of the China Institute for Energy Policy Studies at Xiamen University. The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily.

Contact the editor at editor@chinawatch.cn