Prospects for African hydropower in 2050

Some problems and solutions are specific to Africa, and they will probably be very different by the middle of this century. Therefore, present investments should be adapted to likely future conditions. Hydropower is likely to represent only a modest part of the electricity supply in most African countries, with the greater share being contributed by solar PV. The daily storage of energy will be a key problem, and the role of pumped-storage plants may be more important than conventional hydropower. Another key problem for Africa is seasonal water storage, and needs could be partly met by off-river basins. After a general analysis of the situation for Africa, this paper takes a more detailed look at the case of Burkina Faso as an example to represent many African countries.