Energy Transition in Africa and Beyond: Bridging Policy, Innovation, and Inclusion

The global transition to sustainable energy is accelerating, but its opportunities and burdens are not evenly shared. For Africa and much of the Global South, the challenge is not only to decarbonize but to do so while expanding access to affordable, reliable energy for rapidly growing populations. This dual imperative: closing energy-access gaps while shifting to low-carbon systems, makes the region’s transition uniquely complex. Across the world, innovation continues to shape the pace and direction of renewable-energy adoption. Yet significant disparities persist. Green-technology patents and advanced renewable-energy systems remain heavily concentrated in the Global North. Schuhz et al. (2024), in a review of patenting trends from 2002 to 2023, note that “the Global North demonstrates a continuous increase in green technology patents, particularly in solar and wind, with notable contributions from Japan, Germany, and the United States.” The Global South’s growth, though significant, is driven disproportionately by China; excluding China reveals much slower progress, exposing urgent needs for stronger innovation ecosystems across Africa, Latin America, and South Asia. For Africa, these findings highlight the importance of linking local innovation with supportive policy, inclusive financing, and capacity-building systems that ensure no region or community is left behind. A just energy transition must deliver technological progress while addressing inequality, gender gaps, youth unemployment, and the risk of replicating global power imbalances. This symposium will examine how policy, innovation, and inclusion can converge to enable a fair, equitable energy future for Africa and other emerging regions – one that is resilient, locally grounded, and globally competitive.

Hanno Erythropel, Ph.D., Yale University

Lars Ratjen

Paul Anastas, Yale University

Peter Licence, The University of Nottingham

Hanno Erythropel, Ph.D., Yale University

Lars Ratjen

Paul Anastas, Yale University

Peter Licence, The University of Nottingham