Power and Energy in Africa
Senior 3 · Geography
Power and Energy in Africa
Lesson 1 of 4
35 min
Let's begin
Deep in Lake Kivu, under the water off Rubavu and Karongi, huge amounts of methane gas are dissolved. For a long time the gas was seen only as a danger. Today barges and platforms pump it up and burn it to make electricity, and in 2023 methane gas produced 23.48% of Rwanda's electricity (RURA). Most of the rest came from rivers. Few countries anywhere generate power from a gas-filled lake. Why does each African country use different sources of power, and what makes a site good for a power station?
Definition
Energy: the ability to do work, such as moving, heating or lighting. Power: in geography, usually electricity, a form of energy that can be carried along wires. Renewable energy: energy from sources that are naturally replaced, such as running water, sunlight, wind and the Earth's heat. Non-renewable energy: energy from sources that will run out, such as coal, oil, natural gas and peat.
| Source | How electricity is made | African examples |
|---|---|---|
| Hydroelectric power (HEP) | Falling water turns turbines | Aswan (Egypt), Akosombo (Ghana), Kariba (Zambia and Zimbabwe), Inga (DR Congo), the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (Ethiopia); Nyabarongo I and Rusumo serve Rwanda |
| Thermal power from coal | Burning coal boils water; steam turns turbines | Medupi and Kusile in South Africa |
| Thermal power from oil and gas | Burning oil or gas drives turbines or engines | Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria; methane from Lake Kivu in Rwanda |
| Peat | Dried peat is burnt like coal | The Hakan peat power plant in Gisagara, Rwanda |
| Geothermal power | Steam from hot rocks underground turns turbines | Olkaria in Kenya's Rift Valley |
| Solar power | Solar panels, or mirrors that concentrate the sun's heat | Noor Ouarzazate (Morocco); solar fields and home solar kits in Rwanda |
| Wind power | Wind turns the blades of turbines | Lake Turkana Wind Power (Kenya) |
| Nuclear power | Heat from splitting uranium atoms makes steam | Koeberg (South Africa), Africa's only nuclear power station |
| Biomass | Wood, charcoal and crop waste are burnt, mainly for cooking | Most rural homes across Africa |
Hydroelectric power is Africa's most important source of renewable electricity. A dam holds back a river to form a reservoir; water falls through a pipe called a penstock and spins a turbine connected to a generator (Figure 1).
Definition
Hydroelectric power (HEP): electricity generated by the force of falling water. Penstock: the large pipe that carries water from the reservoir down to the turbine. Head: the height through which the water falls. Geothermal power: electricity made from the heat of hot rocks below the Earth's surface. Installed capacity: the greatest amount of power that a power station or country can produce at one time, measured in megawatts (MW).
| Type of power | Favourable factors |
|---|---|
| HEP | A large, permanent river with a steady flow, fed by reliable rainfall or a lake; a steep gradient, waterfalls or rapids that give a high head; a narrow gorge, so that a short dam can be built; hard, stable rock for the dam's foundations; little silt in the water; a thinly populated valley to flood, so few people must move; a nearby market of towns and industries; capital, skills and political stability |
| Thermal | Local coal, oil or gas; plenty of water for cooling; a large market nearby; transport for fuel |
| Geothermal | Hot rocks close to the surface, as in volcanic areas and rift valleys |
| Solar | Strong sunshine and clear skies for most of the year, as in the Sahara and Sahel |
| Wind | Strong, steady winds, as on coasts, plateaus and mountain passes |
Rwanda's rivers are small and its valleys are farmed by many people, so its hydro stations are small. The country has used its other resources: methane under Lake Kivu, peat from its marshes and strong sunshine. According to REG, installed capacity reached 467 MW at the end of 2025, up from 238 MW in 2020–21. Figure 2 shows where Rwanda's electricity came from in 2023.
Worked example
Worked example 1: reading Figure 2. What share of Rwanda's electricity in 2023 came from renewable sources (hydro and solar), and what share from methane, peat and thermal plants?
Worked example
Worked example 2: growth of capacity. REG reports that Rwanda's installed capacity grew from 238.36 MW in 2020–21 to 467.142 MW at the end of 2025. By what percentage did it grow?
Warning
Do not count Lake Kivu methane as renewable. RURA counts methane gas, peat and thermal plants as non-renewable sources: the gas is pumped out far faster than the lake slowly makes more. Only hydro and solar are counted as renewable in Rwanda's 2023 figures.
Tip
For "factors favouring HEP", remember WATER: Water volume (large, steady flow), A steep gradient or waterfall, Tough rock in a narrow gorge, Empty valley to flood, Ready market and capital.
BBC Click: how methane gas from Lake Kivu is turned into electricity for Rwanda. Note how the gas is separated from the lake water and why removing it may make the lake safer.
Practice
Sources and credits
This lesson adapts CC BY-SA material and is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
