TransitionZero partners with World Resources Institute Africa to support the acceleration of Africa’s energy transition

Media release

London, UK, 14 August, 2023: Climate analytics non-profit, TransitionZero, is collaborating with World Resources Institute (WRI) Africa to expedite the development of country-level energy transition modelling in Africa. WRI is a global think tank working to transform the world’s food, land, and water, energy, and cities, as well as the economic, finance, and governance structures that underpin these key systems. Over the past 30 years, WRI’s work in Africa has produced actionable knowledge in these strategic areas.

WRI Africa will collaborate with TransitionZero, utilising its data platform to support research and engagement on energy transition planning in Africa. Through WRI’s engagement and dialogues on energy transitions across the African continent, it has identified 'blind spots' in current energy transition modelling studies focused on Africa.

To date, most research on Africa’s energy transition has been conducted at the continental level. This leaves a gap of information for in-country policymakers, and an inaccurate perception that the same challenges and solutions to improved energy access, security, and affordability apply uniformly across the entire continent. To address this, WRI Africa and its local partners initiated a research program on country-level transition pathways that includes detailed energy modelling efforts using state-of-the-art tools and models.

This partnership aims to harness the accessibility and reproducibility of TransitionZero's modelling platform, collaborating with local governments and stakeholders to bridge these data and knowledge gaps, and build long-term capacity in African countries. WRI will begin engagement in Ethiopia and Kenya.

Matt Gray, Co-founder and CEO of TransitionZero, commented:

“We are thrilled to partner with WRI, which is doing vital work in Africa that is closely aligned with our mission to help catalyse affordable and dependable clean energy for all. Realising our mission requires building technical capacity rather than dependency. We are highly motivated to work with WRI to make this vision a reality.”

Dr Rebekah Shirley, Deputy Director, WRI Africa, said:

“WRI’s research shows that the current body of evidence is insufficient to inform clean energy growth pathways in African countries. This new partnership between WRI Africa and TransitionZero comes at just the right moment,and will begin to fill the gaps in knowledge that are urgently needed by policymakers and investors to create country-specific clean energy plans.”

About TransitionZero

TransitionZero is a climate analytics non-profit established in 2021. We build accessible, auditable and open energy transition planning products, supporting mission-aligned organisations. For more information on how your organisation or initiative can access our data and analytics, visit our website or contact us.

For media interviews, comments or press queries, contact:

Simone Huber - Communications and Marketing Manager, TransitionZero

simone@transitionzero.org