EU carbon tax accelerates Africa’s push for renewables

July 20, 2025

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The EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) policy, set for full implementation by January 2026, is pushing African countries to reassess their energy policies. Egypt this week announced plans to create a national platform to mobilise concessional financing and grants to support the greening of private-sector industrial projects.

  • The CBAM imposes an extra EU tariff on imports of carbon-intensive goods, including cement, iron, steel, aluminium, fertiliser, electricity and hydrogen.

  • African countries are projected to lose about $25 billion in annual exports. South Africa, Morocco and Egypt are expected to bear the greatest burden.

  • Our take: Every crisis is also an opportunity, as the saying goes… Read more (2 min)

From July to September 2025, Africa will host over 30 renewable energy conferences, covering technology innovation, storage, policy and investment. Flagship events such as African Energy Week (South Africa) and Solar Week Egypt will spotlight regional leadership, while niche forums will explore artificial intelligence (AI), nanofluids and rural electrification. 

  • Southern Africa events are storage and market-oriented. Zambia (5) and South Africa lead (5) with the C&I Energy Summit and African Energy Week, addressing critical gaps in energy storage and commercial-scale adoption.

  • Meanwhile, Kenya (5) and Uganda (3) remain popular, aligning with national goals for 100% renewable grids and more global investment.

  • Access the full list of events here…(2 min)

The global renewable energy job market is seeing a major shift from C&I solar to large-scale utility projects. Some African countries such as South Africa are already following this trend. It is driving demand for specialised skills as top talent is poached from outside, says Claire Scott, a recruitment specialist, in an interview with Renewables Rising.

  • Ms Scott is a recruitment specialist at Executech, a South African-based search firm. Executech focuses on hiring for the renewable energy sector, mainly in South Africa and the southern Africa region.

  • She says the rise of battery energy storage systems and wind projects in particular is creating more demand for specialised skillsets.

  • Click here for the full conversation… (6 min)

CrossBoundary Energy acquires Caledonia Mining’s solar plant at Blanket Mine, Zimbabwe, under a 17-year PPA

Jobs

🧑🏻‍💻 Become Africa50’s Senior Investment Analyst, Project Development (Morocco)

👩🏻‍💻 Lead Globeleque’s asset performance analysis efforts (South Africa)

💼 Join Sun King as a Trade Marketing Associate (Malawi)

Various 

🌊 ANDRITZ to upgrade Mozambique’s largest hydropower plant

⚡ South African firm Eveready plans wind turbine projects in Odisha

💡 Egypt signs landmark 20 MWp solar deal with LONGi 

Seen on LinkedIn 

Ignatius Maranga, Quality Engineer at Strathmore University, says, “The dirty secret of our solar boom? 80% of installed panels in Africa are second-hand imports, and they’re failing 3x faster than new ones.”