Africa's clean energy plans open opportunities for Chinese companies

Though Africa's clean energy market faces roadblocks, such as insufficient infrastructure and financing channels, the continent is a gold mine for many Chinese companies due to its abundant solar and nuclear resources.

"It's clear that African countries will need to promote clean technologies, given the continent's huge resources in solar, wind and nuclear industries, to feed its energy demand," said Li Zhibiao, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of West Asian and African Studies. "Right now, Africa's per capita energy consumption cannot keep up with the countries' economic growth."

A report from the European Commission's Institute for Energy said a mere 0.3 percent of the sunlight in the Sahara and Middle Eastern deserts could produce enough electricity to meet all of Europe's energy demand.