War-time gas supply cuts drive renewables gains

June 18, 2025

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Egypt is implementing power rationing due to fuel supply cuts from Israel, a direct consequence of the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict. Over the last decade, the country's push for renewables adoption has gained momentum as it seeks to reduce its dependence on volatile fossil fuels. This week, the reason why became clear to everyone with power socket.

  • Supply cuts in global markets have consistently posed a challenge for countries reliant on fossil fuels. Past conflicts, like the Russia-Ukraine war, disrupted supplies, hiked prices and forced some utilities to hike tariffs and ration power.

  • Egypt relies on fossil fuels for 89% of its electricity generation. To enhance its grid security, Egypt plans to grow its renewables share to 42% by 2030. New conflicts make that even more urgent.

  • Our take: Political instability makes fossil fuels costly and strengthens the appeal of renewables… Read more (2 min)

The World Bank approved a $1.5 billion loan for South Africa to support structural reforms in the energy and freight transport sectors. A key part of the reforms is enhancing energy security, moving away from Eskom's monopoly towards a more open and competitive electricity market, allowing more providers to generate, transmit and distribute power.

  • South Africa faces a deepening jobs and growth crisis. In 2023, power outages cut GDP by 2% and cost 500,000 jobs, while rail and port inefficiencies reduced exports by around 20%.

  • The reforms aim to add 3,500 MW of new renewables capacity (8% of the current total) by March 2027. Private investment is to build 200 km of transmission lines and deploy 50,000 smart meters to improve revenue collection.

  • Our take: South Africa should further fast-track the build-out of transmission infrastructure… Read more (2 min)

Top renewables business leaders in South Africa earn the highest minimum annual salary among four countries analysed by Renewables Rising in collaboration with recruiter Shortlist. South African CEOs get at least $156,000 per year. Egypt offers the lowest minimum for such roles, at $102,000 annually. The disparities are the result of differing economic settings in the countries.

  • Energy firms that want to ensure their top leader sticks around pay a “retention rate” in South Africa of around $228,000, the highest. In Kenya, the equivalent is $175,000, with Nigeria and Egypt following at $158,000 and $149,000, respectively.

  • This is for the top leaders in mid-size renewable energy companies. Salary benchmark are assembled in partnership with Shortlist, a leading recruitment agency in Africa.

  • Our take: Pay may vary in practice due to company-specific benefits or incentives that are not accounted for in the base salary… Read more (2 min)

Energy company AMEA Power’s team lands in Cape Town, South Africa, for the ongoing Africa Energy Forum 2025 event

 

Events

🗓️ Register for Jobs in Energy Efficiency & Cold Chain Solutions webinar (Jun 24)

🗓️ Be at the Lesotho Energy Access Dialogue 2025 (Jun 25)

🗓️ Attend the Power & Energy Kenya event 2025 (Jun 26)

Jobs

👷🏽 Join Scatec ASA as a Senior Business Development Manager (South Africa)

🛒 Spearhead sales operations at Burn Manufacturing (Mozambique)

🛠️ Become d.light’s Regional Service Technician (Kenya)

Various 

💸 Acumen commits $1m to KIMS in Somalia to expand off-grid solar solutions

⚡ Petrodex inaugurates the opening of 25 MW of Zambia’s Mailo Solar Project

🔌 KETRACO issues tender for extension works on 132 kV substations

Seen on LinkedIn 

Gillian-Alexandre Huart, CEO  at  ENGIE Energy Access, says, “Talent, not just technology, is the real engine of Africa’s clean energy transition.”