Over 2,500 international investors from 82 countries are set to gather in Brussels for the Africa Energy Forum, AEF 2022, with industry leaders interested in funding power projects to supply the massive demand for power in Africa.
Managing Director of EnergyNet Simon Gosling said; “It’s great to be back to full capacity!! As we reflect on the past 24 months it feels like the world has truly adjusted and is daring to be more responsible in investment decision making. However, responsible investing needs to be aligned with the reality of the private sector which can only survive in a profit enabled world, seeking out new revenue streams to maintain a strong and sustainable business. At AEF in Brussels, we will therefore be looking at financing and blended energy solutions, to reduce emissions significantly across the industrial landscape, whilst also maintaining capacity output, growth and broader job creation.”
Whilst African countries remain some of the world’s most attractive investment destinations, the energy industry is considerably underinvested, typically due to a lack of capacity to build at a rapid pace and an underdeveloped industrial foundation, rather than a shortage of finance.
As a result, the AEF 2022 will continue to focus on expanding energy market capacity and electron evacuation to enable and better serve enterprises, businesses, and residences, resulting in a more bankable and sustainable investment climate.
It would once again provide stakeholders with a venue to have meaningful discussions about project roadblocks, learn about new areas of investment, such as the vast offshore wind and gas potential, and, of course, break down some of the barriers to investment that are currently stifling the number of projects reaching financial close, which is currently at a rather low 10%.