An international research team has found that Cameroon has shown a slow but clear move towards fair electrification between 2015 and 2024, with an increased focus on distributed renewables.
New research shows that the direction of sustainable energy policy in Cameroon has changed dramatically over the past decade, with a greater emphasis on solar, off-grid and mini-grid deployments.
An international research team analyzed the development of renewable energy in Cameroon between 2015 and 2024, with their findings highlight that while hydropower remains the dominant source of renewable energy in the country, new applications have leveled off somewhat. Cameroon’s hydropower capacity was 732 MW in 2015, increasing to 814 MW in 2024.
In contrast, grid-connected solar capacity went from 0 MW in 2015 to 63 MW in 2024, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 90%. The growth has been particularly pronounced starting in 2017, the researchers explained, thanks to the deregulation of solar project licensing and the adoption of solar-based initiatives.
Meanwhile, the installed capacity of off-grid systems, which mainly include stand-alone solar systems and hybrid solar-diesel mini-grids, has increased from 0.2 MW in 2015 to 27.1 MW in 2024. The research paper says this shift from hydropower to solar energy sources fits the patterns seen in Sub-Saharan Africa, where decentralization is proving crucial in closing the last mile in access.
The research paper points out that the deployment of off-grid systems in Cameroon has been driven by private and donor-sponsored rural electrification initiatives and has been critical in expanding electricity access to remote villages and health facilities. Over the period studied, access to electricity in rural areas in Cameroon increased from 17% to 27%, while the share of electrified healthcare services increased from 25% to 62%.
Although less than 40% of off-grid systems are currently operating at full capacity due to maintenance and financial problems, a A 2023 report from the country’s Ministry of Water Resources and Energy found that about 1.2 million people in Cameroon have benefited from improved access to electricity thanks to off-grid initiatives introduced since 2017.
The research paper says these off-grid systems have given disadvantaged villages access to mobile phone tariffs, adequate lighting and small economic activities including conservation and customization. However, it notes that current projects remain scattered and sometimes lack the unified national framework needed to make scalable, distributed energy models the first priority. “Future energy policy must clearly support decentralized solutions, including mobile money financing models, pay-as-you-go solar systems and community-based microgrids,” the article advises.
To support the deployment of renewable energy sources in Cameroon, the paper says strengthening policy implementation will be key. It explains that implementation of electricity sector regulation and the rural electrification master plan currently remains fragmented and recommends operationalizing licensing frameworks for independent power producers, developing standardized tariffs for mini-grids, and enforcing rural electrification mandates to support accelerated adoption.
The researchers also emphasized that Cameroon remains highly dependent on fossil fuel imports. As of 2022, only 4% of the country’s total energy consumption came from primary electricity, while 73% came from biomass. Cameroon has set a target to increase the share of renewable energy sources in its electricity mix to 25% by 2035.
Their findings are presented in the research paper Policy-driven renewable energy expansion in Cameroon: a technical and sustainability-oriented analysis of growth trends and cross-sectoral impacts (2015-2024)available in the magazine Energy strategy reviews.
The research team consisted of academics based at Saveetha Institute of Medical and Engineering Sciences in Chennai, Beykent University in Istanbul, Egypt’s Alexandria University, Yuan Ze University in Taoyuan, Taiwan, Imam Khomeini Naval Science University of Nowshahr in Nowshahr, Iran, Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College in Ludhiana, India and China’s Hanshan Normal University, as well as the Applied Science Private University and Al-Ahliyya Amman University, both located in Amman, Jordan.
According to the Africa Solar Industry Association (AFSIA) project database, Cameroon currently has 70 MW of operational solar capacity, of which 14.1 MW are solar mini-grids. The country has another 30 MW of solar power under construction.
Last week, pv magazine reported that Cameroon’s Ministry of Water and Energy recently inaugurated two solar power plants in the villages of Songmambias and Nkelassi in the country’s Central Province, providing 270 households with access to reliable energy.
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