CAPE TOWN, South Africa, May 6, 2026/APO Group/ –Benoît Faraco, Ambassador for Climate Negotiations, Decarbonized Energy and Climate Risk Prevention at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, will participate in African Energy Week (AEW) 2026, scheduled for October 12–16 in Cape Town. Faraco is expected to engage African policymakers, investors and industry leaders on France’s evolving approach to climate diplomacy and its energy investment strategy across the continent.

 

His participation comes at a time when African countries are seeking to mobilize significant capital to expand energy access and develop new generation capacity across renewables, natural gas and emerging green fuels, as more than 600 million people across the continent still lack access to electricity. At the same time, France is strengthening its engagement with African energy markets through a renewed 2026 strategy centered on climate finance, infrastructure partnerships and long-term industrial cooperation.

 

Africa’s energy transition represents one of the largest untapped opportunities globally. The continent holds an estimated 482,000 GW of solar potential, around 180,000 TWh of annual wind potential and roughly 10% of global hydropower resources, of which nearly 90% remains undeveloped. Africa is also positioning itself as a future hub for green hydrogen, with potential production capacity estimated at 30–60 million tons per year by 2050. Against this backdrop, France is increasingly shifting from project-level engagement toward supporting integrated energy systems that link domestic supply development with regional and export-oriented markets.

 

French investment in Africa’s renewable energy sector continues to expand through a combination of public financing, concessional lending and private sector participation. The Agence Française de Développement (AFD) is playing a central role in scaling deployment, reducing risk for private investors and supporting transmission and grid infrastructure. Through its African Renewable Energy Scale-Up Program, AFD provides between €20 million and €100 million per project, supporting solar, wind and geothermal developments across multiple markets, including Mauritania, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.

 

Beyond financing, French energy companies remain among the most active international developers in Africa’s power sector. EDF power solutions is targeting a fivefold increase in its renewable energy portfolio on the continent between 2024 and 2026, with ambitions to reach 3 GW of installed capacity in the near term.

 

ENGIE continues to expand its presence across wind, solar, desalination, battery storage and green hydrogen projects, while TotalEnergies is advancing integrated energy developments across markets including Mozambique, South Africa, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Rwanda and Uganda – reflecting France’s growing footprint in Africa’s broader energy diversification landscape.

 

“Africa’s renewable energy potential represents an opportunity not only for French companies, but also for strengthening Europe’s long-term energy security through electricity and green fuel trade,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “AEW provides a key platform for aligning investment strategies, harmonizing policy approaches and building mutually beneficial partnerships between Africa and France.”

 

Beyond renewables, France is supporting long-term nuclear energy development across Africa as part of a diversified energy mix. As one of the world’s leading nuclear power producers, it is working to strengthen institutional and technical capacity through initiatives such as the INSC Africa program, which supports countries including South Africa, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco and Nigeria in developing regulatory frameworks, safety systems and workforce training.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, May 6, 2026/APO Group/ –Leo LaBranche, CEO of Unified Digital Group (UDG) – a global business consulting and advisory firm – and Geoffrey Levene, Partner at Era – an AI-focused investment firm – have been confirmed as featured speakers at this year’s African Energy Week (AEW) 2026. During the event, they will take part in the inaugural AI and Data Center Track – NexaGrid: Create. Enable. Build Africa’s Finest Data Centers for the Future. Their participation brings together two influential perspectives on how large-scale digital infrastructure, capital allocation and energy systems are converging across global and African markets.

 

AEW 2026, scheduled for October 12–16 in Cape Town, will expand its focus on digital infrastructure through the dedicated track, which sits at the intersection of energy, compute and industrial development. The program will examine how data centers are evolving into anchor demand assets for power systems, alongside discussions on sovereign cloud frameworks, intelligent grids and the integration of AI into national energy planning across African economies.

 

UDG, led by LaBranche, is positioned at the forefront of this convergence, focusing on end-to-end AI infrastructure development that spans gigawatt-scale energy planning, hyperscale data center deployment and satellite-enabled connectivity for remote operations. The group’s recent strategic direction includes agentic AI systems designed for enterprise automation, as well as physical technology integration such as private network infrastructure and robotics, with a strong emphasis on deployment in frontier and emerging markets, including Africa.

 

Era, where Levene serves as Partner, operates as a bridge between global family capital and the physical infrastructure layer of AI, with a strong focus on data centers, energy systems and compute supply chains. The firm works closely within the broader AI ecosystem to identify investment opportunities linked to hyperscale infrastructure growth, while also supporting ventures in defense tech, climate systems and next-generation AI platforms that depend on high-density computing capacity.

 

“What we are seeing is a structural shift where digital infrastructure is becoming just as critical as traditional power generation in driving economic growth. The participation of LaBranche and Levene reflects this accelerating convergence between energy infrastructure and digital systems across Africa. This strategic AI- and data-focused track brings together technology and leadership needed to turn that convergence into real, bankable projects across the continent,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber.

 

Across Africa, AI and data center development is increasingly being incorporated into long-term energy planning frameworks alongside conventional generation and transmission projects. These facilities are linked to increased electricity demand requirements for new capacity additions, as well as ongoing efforts by utilities and operators to improve grid efficiency through data-driven monitoring and analytics. They are also being discussed in relation to sovereign digital infrastructure requirements for supporting industrial activity, financial services systems and public-sector digital services.

 

AEW 2026’s AI and Data Center track reinforces Cape Town’s growing role as a convening point for energy and technology dialogue on the continent, bringing together policymakers, investors and infrastructure leaders. The participation of UDG and Era underscores a broader shift toward integrated investment models where compute, power and capital deployment are aligned to accelerate Africa’s digital and energy transformation.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, May 5, 2026/APO Group/ –As reported by ESI Africa, Southern Africa is seeing major infrastructure development. Renewable energy capacity is expanding, industrial demand is rising, and electrification is reaching areas that previously had limited grid access.

However, as generation capacity grows, attention is increasingly turning to another part of the equation: how to move that power reliably from source to load.

Daqo tells ESI Africa that, for developers and EPC contractors, the distribution network is no longer simply a downstream consideration. It is becoming an increasingly important part of how projects are planned, coordinated and delivered.

Why distribution is gaining importance

Grid access, system integration and multi-party coordination are increasingly converging at the distribution level.

Renewable projects are often located far from load centres, and the continued growth of distributed energy is changing system behaviour in ways that require earlier and more careful planning.

As a result, distribution infrastructure is increasingly something projects need to design around from the outset, rather than address later in the delivery process.

A growing focus on coordination and supply

One practical consequence of this shift is greater scrutiny of how electrical equipment is sourced and coordinated.

Traditional multi-supplier models introduce multiple technical and logistical interfaces that may cause delays during installation and commissioning, particularly as project complexity increases.

With a portfolio covering medium- and low-voltage switchgear, transformers, power module systems and busbar solutions, Daqo supports a more integrated approach across the electrical distribution chain.

This can help reduce interface risk and improve alignment from design through to commissioning.

Daqo’s global footprint includes more than 10,000 customers and 32 manufacturing companies, with project engagement across Africa, the Middle East, Europe, the Americas and APAC, enabling coordinated engineering and production at scale.

Prefabricated solutions can help reduce on-site complexity and improve schedule certainty.

Prefabrication and lead time matter more than ever

On fast-track projects, delivery speed and installation efficiency are becoming increasingly decisive.

 

Prefabricated electrical solutions (including prefabricated substations, E-Houses and containerised medium-voltage systems) move engineering, assembly and testing into controlled factory environments.

These prefabricated solutions can help reduce on-site complexity and improve schedule certainty.

At the same time, supply timelines remain under pressure due to sustained demand growth and broader supply chain constraints.

Daqo addresses this through manufacturing lead times of four to seven weeks, integrated production across group companies, and strong vertical integration in key materials and components, all of which support delivery stability and cost control.

Performance in the field remains critical

Equipment that meets the specification on paper must also perform in the field.

Large-scale renewable integration can introduce challenges, including voltage fluctuation and reduced system inertia.

Real-world site conditions, including high temperatures, dust, corrosive industrial environments and long transport distances, place further demands on equipment durability and maintainability.

Daqo’s system-level approach incorporates intelligent monitoring, protection functions and environmental resilience into the design, helping support stable operation under variable grid conditions and compliance with IEC and project-specific standards.

Daqo looking ahead

The projects being developed across Southern Africa today will help define the region’s energy infrastructure for decades to come. Adding generation capacity is essential, but the ability to deliver, integrate and sustain electrical systems in the field will play an equally important role in determining long-term project success.

This shift in focus is already influencing how experienced developers and EPCs approach project planning, and how suppliers are expected to respond.

Enlit Africa returns to the CTICC from 19 to 21 May in 2026

Daqo will be present at Enlit Africa (Stand A5), where the team will engage with project stakeholders on distribution system design and delivery across the region. Meet us at Enlit Africa on 19-21 May 2026 at the CTICC in Cape Town, South Africa. ESI Africa, part of VUKA Group, is the Host Media Partner for the event.  More about Enlit Africa: https://apo-opa.co/4tV6HFt