Central Africa has great renewable energy potential, especially in hydropower and solar power. Hydropower currently generates about 70% of the region’s electricity. Aiming to diversify their energy mix through innovative renewable energy projects, countries including the Republic of the Congo, Gabon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are at the forefront of developing biogas, biofuels, solar power and green hydrogen.
Agrihub: Republic of the Congo
Italian oil giant Eni is partnering with the Republic of Congo to develop a large-scale biofuels project focused on castor oil cultivation. The initiative aims to utilize 150,000 hectares of marginal land to provide feedstock for biorefineries by 2030. In March 2025, President Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo visited the Laudima Agricultural Hub to assess the project. The facility is designed to process vegetable oil from non-edible crops such as castor beans and contributes to Eni’s biorefinery operations. The project aims to produce 30,000 tons of vegetable oil per year, with plans to expand to 200,000 tons by 2030.
Ignie Hybrid Renewable Project: Republic of the Congo
Congolese company Tinda Energy is developing the 65MW Inguie 2021-2046 project in partnership with Chinese engineering firm Conplant. Located in the Ignye Special Economic Zone, this renewable energy initiative will combine 55 MW from a hybrid solar power plant and 10 MW from a biomass facility. The project, scheduled to be operational by the end of the year, aims to strengthen the capacity of the Republic of Congo’s national electricity grid and supply electricity to the Markou industrial and commercial park.
Makerere Biogas Project: DRC
US-based company Symbion Power has been awarded a contract to develop the Makerere biogas project in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The project is a 60 MW gas-to-electricity system powered by biogas from the country’s Lake Kivu. With an investment of more than $300 million, the project aims to strengthen electricity access in North and South Kivu provinces, contributing to the country’s goal of increasing energy access from 10% to approximately 32% by 2030. The Makerere Biogas Project is scheduled to become operational in 2028.
Green hydrogen project: Gabon
The Gabon Green Hydrogen Project will launch in May 2024 through a partnership between the Gabonese government and the Saudi group Al Sharif, and aims to establish large-scale green and white hydrogen production. Phase 1 will invest $900 million to build a 200MW hydroelectric power plant that will power electrolyzers and produce 200,000 tonnes of green hydrogen per year. The second phase will expand production to 1.6 million tonnes per year and cost $4.6 billion.
World Bank Danzi Solar Power Plant: Central African Republic
The World Bank is supporting a comprehensive energy initiative in the Central African Republic to improve electricity access and sustainability. The plan includes the expansion of the Danzi solar power plant from 25MW to 40MW. The project includes the construction of five new solar mini-grids and the deployment of off-grid solar solutions for schools, health centers and households. Renewal of electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure is also planned. Collectively, these efforts aim to provide reliable electricity service to more than 1 million people by the end of 2027.
