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CICSA

Africa Energy Forum
Africa Energy Forum Sponsors CICSA

CICSA

Clean Captive Installations for Industrial Clients in Sub‑Saharan Africa (CICSA) is a UNEP-led flagship climate mitigation initiative designed to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy solutions in the commercial and industrial (C&I) sector across Sub‑Saharan Africa. Building on the results of its first phase, CICSA Phase II (2026–2030) focuses on scaling clean captive installations—primarily on‑site renewable energy systems that supply reliable, cost‑effective power directly to industrial users. The programme addresses persistent challenges such as unreliable grids, high electricity costs, and dependence on diesel generation by combining targeted grant support, technical assistance, knowledge sharing, and policy engagement. Implemented by UNEP’s Sustainable Investments Unit of the Climate Change Division and in partnership with the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, CICSA aims to catalyse private investment, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and support enabling regulatory frameworks at national and regional levels. Through a strong emphasis on local ownership, financial viability, and replicability, CICSA contributes to energy security, industrial competitiveness, and a just energy transition in Sub‑Saharan Africa.

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Africa Energy Forum news

Sustainable Energy

Why Kenya is yet to properly unlock its renewable energy potential

By Evans Ongwae An analysis by the International Energy Agency (IEA) titled ‘Kenya 2024 Energy Policy Review’, acknowledges that the country has a diverse electricity mix. It states that nearly 90 percent of Kenya’s power generation arises from renewable sources, including geothermal (47 percent), hydro (21 percent), wind (16 percent) and solar (4 percent). Still, […]
Energy access

Action needed to resolve emerging delays in implementing Kenya’s energy ambitions

By Evans Ongwae Kenya has developed a raft of policies and strategies to realise its ambitious energy goals – both in the near future and even beyond. The challenge, though, is whether everything in this massive jigsaw puzzle will fall in place at the right time. Over the last 20 years, the country has crafted […]
Sustainable Energy

Kenya’s path to Net Zero and the quest for cleaner energy by 2030

By Evans Ongwae Vision 2030, Kenya’s long-term national development focus, envisions a newly industrialising middle-income nation that provides a high quality of life to all citizens by the year 2030, in a clean and secure environment. One of the main pillars to achieving this vision is manufacturing, whose main enabler is the availability of lots […]
Energy access

Beyond Energy Access: Why Off-Grid Solar Is Essential Economic Infrastructure

As governments and development institutions work to achieve universal energy access, off-grid solar is moving from the margins of Africa’s power sector to the centre of the conversation. Once seen primarily as a rural and last-mile electrification solution, distributed renewable energy (DRE) is increasingly recognised as a vital part of the infrastructure needed to power […]
Sustainable Energy

Why SAWEM is a Defining Opportunity for Wind Energy – If South Africa Gets the Fundamentals Right

By Talent Duma (SAWEA) – 29, April, 2026. The launch of the South African Wholesale Electricity Market (SAWEM) marks a decisive break from the legacy single-buyer model and signals the country’s intent to build a competitive, decentralised, and transparent electricity system. For the wind industry, this reform is not hypothetical – it is a defining […]
Global Affairs

United Arab Emirates quits OPEC

The United Arab Emirates (UAE)leaves the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on 1 May 2026 following a comprehensive review of its production policy and future capacity. It announced the move on 28 April. According to the Emirates News Agency, the decision reflects the UAE’s “long-term strategic and economic vision and evolving energy profile, […]
Energy access

From Energy to Water Security: Hashem Ghabashi of Acwa on Africa’s Industrial Transformation

As momentum builds towards the Africa Energy Forum 2026, held under the theme “Building Africa’s Industrialised Future,” Acwa’s President for Africa, Hashem Ghabashi, shares the company’s perspective on supporting Africa’s industrialisation and energy transition, as well as the key drivers behind its growing engagement across the continent, including the growing importance of integrated energy and […]
News

When cooking threatens health: What the Kenyan government is doing to increase adoption of clean cooking options

By Evans Ongwae, writer, Nation Media Group PLC Kenya is locked in a race to achieve universal access to clean cooking solutions by 2028. The drive is getting more urgent because of two key reasons: Time is running short, as the 2028 deadline is less than two years away. Also, high dependence on traditional cooking […]

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