On-grid liquid fuel plants retain importance amid energy transition

Although considered anachronistic by energy transition advocates, on-grid liquid fuel-fired power plants are predicted to still comprise 22GW of the continent’s installed capacity by 2027, according to the latest analysis from African Energy Live Data. This reflects the enduring appeal of flexible, low-capital-cost generation, particularly in markets where renewable or gas capacity has not yet been developed at scale – and it doesn’t include the gigawatts of electricity from the smaller diesel generators that still play such a major role in economies like Nigeria and Democratic Republic of Congo.