Nexans Climate Day 2023 "Sustainable electrification for energy transition, a real opportunity for Africa"

During the night of September 08 to 09, Morocco was violently hit by an earthquake unprecedented in many decades. In view of this terrible tragedy, we have decided to postpone the 4th Climate Day to a date to be announced. We share the grief of the families affected, and are doing our utmost to offer our support through the participation of our employees in blood donation and food collection initiatives.

Our thoughts are with the families of the victims and their loved ones.

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Climate issues and the transition to carbon neutrality have become a global priority in light of current economic and geopolitical challenges. Unfortunately, current global efforts are not enough to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, putting the world on track for a 2.5 degree Celsius warming by the end of the century.

Nexans is committed to achieving carbon neutrality, based on the levers of the next phase of digitization allowed by Industry 4.0, waste reduction and sustainable energy consumption.

To go even forward, since 2020, the Group has been organizing the Climate Day. This event brings together outstanding experts and actors in the field with the aim of raising awareness on climate challenges, sharing experiences and providing concrete solutions for sustainable electrification.

After opting for Paris, Stockholm and New York, Nexans has chosen to organize its fourth Climate Day in Rabat, Morocco, under the theme "Sustainable electrification for energy transition: A real opportunity for Africa”.

Sustainable electrification in Africa

Limited or no access to electricity is considered as a major obstacle to development in many regions of Africa. Yet, the continent has considerable potential for a low-carbon transition.

Electrifying the continent could unlock tremendous economic potential and have a positive impact on the environment. However, this relies upon three conditions: government commitment across Africa, attractive investment frameworks and a more ecosystem-based approach to fully benefit from renewable energy advantages. This involves not only providing electricity from renewable sources but also ensuring that communities have easy, affordable, and reliable access to it.

Many African nations are actively pursuing an energy transition. Benin has embarked on ambitious projects aimed at achieving 100% electrification, with a total installed capacity of 1,180 MW planned by 2030.

The case of Morocco is even more revealing: with its experience and achievements in the fight against climate change and energy transition, particularly through the development of renewable energies, the country has positioned itself as a regional hub. It has significant renewable energy potential and is committed to an ambitious energy transition strategy, aiming for 20% energy savings and a 52% share of renewable energies in the electricity mix by 2030. Thus, Morocco is now one of Africa's pioneers in terms of electrification, including rural, with a consequent electrification rate of over 99%.

Sustainable electrification in Africa is a priority to bridge the energy gap and combat climate change. The examples of Benin and Morocco demonstrate the ongoing efforts to promote inclusive and environmentally-friendly energy development. Players such as Nexans are key to provide comprehensive solutions to maximize the performance and efficiency of electrical infrastructures in this global energy transition.

With the objective to foster collaborations between actors in the fields of electrification and sustainable energies and public and private institutions, these questions will be discussed by a dozen of ecosystem experts, from Morocco’s government members to industry leaders, including institutions representatives.

*Source: Africa Energy Outlook 2022, IEA