GREEN POWER FOR AFRICA: Green Power for Africa: Overcoming the Main Constraints OVERCOMING THE MAIN CONSTRAINTS Editors Ana Pueyo and Simon Bawakyillenuo Volume 48 | Number 5–6 | November 2017 Introduction: Overcoming the Constraints to Green Electricity in Africa e Ana Pueyo and Simon Bawakyillenuo Planning for Electrification: On- and Off-Grid Considerations in Sub-Saharan Africa Barry Rawn and Henry Louie wledg Tr Assessing the Potential Impact of Grid-Scale Variable Renewable Energy on ansf orming o the Reliability of Electricity Supply in Kenya Dev Gruffudd Edwards, Chris J. Dent and Neal Wade elopment Kn o wledg Kn Exploring the Macroeconomic Impacts of Low-Carbon Energy Transitions: e A Simulation Analysis for Kenya and Ghana 48 Volume Dirk Willenbockel, Helen Hoka Osiolo and Simon Bawakyillenuo Design and Assessment of Renewable Electricity Auctions in Sub-Saharan Africa Hugo Lucas, Pablo del Río and Mohamed Youba Sokona | Number 5–6 Number Commercial-Scale Renewable Energy in South Africa and its Progress to Date elopment Lucy Baker The Political Economy of Investment in Renewable Electricity in Kenya Helen Hoka Osiolo, Ana Pueyo and James Gachanja Dev The Political Economy of Renewable Energy Investment in Ghana | Simon Bawakyillenuo 2017 November The Political Economy of Aid for Power Sector Reform Neil McCulloch, Esméralda Sindou and John Ward orming ansf Tr ‘This IDS Bulletin underlines the enormity of the clean electrification challenge in Africa; and Transforming Development Knowledge demonstrates the benefits of a multidisciplinary approach where technical, economic, and political perspectives are involved in the design of interventions.’ ISSN 0265-5012 (print), 1759-5436 (online) DOI: 10.19088/1968-2017.159 Volume 48 | Number 5–6 | November 2017 Volume 48 (2017) IDS Bulletin The IDS Bulletin is an open access, peer-review journal No. 1 Sex Education in the Digital Era exploring emerging international development challenges. 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Legal title passes to the customer on despatch. ansf www.ids.ac.uk IDS is a charitable company limited by guarantee and ansf ISSN 0265-5012 (print), 1759-5436 (online) Tr registered in England (No. 877338). Tr Transforming Development Knowledge Volume 48 | Number 5–6 | November 2017 Green Power for Africa: Overcoming the Main Constraints Editors Ana Pueyo and Simon Bawakyillenuo Introduction: Overcoming the Constraints to Green Electricity in Africa Ana Pueyo and Simon Bawakyillenuo 1 Planning for Electrification: On- and Off-Grid Considerations in Sub-Saharan Africa Barry Rawn and Henry Louie 9 Assessing the Potential Impact of Grid-Scale Variable Renewable Energy on the Reliability of Electricity Supply in Kenya Gruffudd Edwards, Chris J. Dent and Neal Wade 29 Exploring the Macroeconomic Impacts of Low-Carbon Energy Transitions: A Simulation Analysis for Kenya and Ghana Dirk Willenbockel, Helen Hoka Osiolo and Simon Bawakyillenuo 49 Design and Assessment of Renewable Electricity Auctions in Sub-Saharan Africa Hugo Lucas, Pablo del Río and Mohamed Youba Sokona 79 Commercial-Scale Renewable Energy in South Africa and its Progress to Date Lucy Baker 101 The Political Economy of Investment in Renewable Electricity in Kenya Helen Hoka Osiolo, Ana Pueyo and James Gachanja 119 The Political Economy of Renewable Energy Investment in Ghana Simon Bawakyillenuo 141 The Political Economy of Aid for Power Sector Reform Neil McCulloch, Esméralda Sindou and John Ward 165 Glossary 185 Acknowledgements We acknowledge the very helpful comments and suggestions from individuals who peer-reviewed the articles in this IDS Bulletin, including: Andrew Barnett, Peter Newell, Daniel Inkoom, Aryestis Vlahakis, Stephen Spratt, Guy Doyle, Pedro Linares, Andrew Scott, Wei Shen, Tim Foxon, Natalia Caldes, Wisdom Akpalu, Robert Osei, and Chris Dent. Funder acknowledgements This issue of the IDS Bulletin was produced with funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Department for International Development (DFID) through a grant for the research project ‘Green Growth Diagnostics for Africa’ (EP/L002507/1). Vol. 48 No. 5–6 November 2017: ‘Green Power for Africa: Overcoming the Main Constraints’ DOI: 10.19088/1968-2017.159 Institute of Development Studies | bulletin.ids.ac.uk Notes on Contributors Lucy Baker is a Senior Research Fellow in the Science Policy Research Unit at the University of Sussex and a Visiting Fellow at the Energy Research Centre, University of Cape Town. Lucy’s areas of research include: the political economy of energy; socio-technical transitions; and low-carbon development in low- and middle-income countries. Before working in academia, she worked for ten years in the fields of environment, development, and human rights.