Next week, Cape Town will once again host the continent’s most influential energy gathering, the Africa Energy Forum (AEF). The annual forum, which brings together ministers, developers, investors, and technology leaders, comes at a critical inflection point for the sector, at a time when Africa’s energy ambitions are increasingly defined by the need for large-scale delivery.

This year’s theme, “Building Africa’s Industrialised Future”, reflects a growing urgency to move beyond ambition into large-scale infrastructure, investment, and execution that can support sustained economic growth across the continent. 

For South Africa’s renewable energy sector, the stakes are particularly high.  According to Stuart MacWilliam, Chief Development Officer at South African IPP, Mulilo, the fundamentals for accelerated growth are firmly in place but structural constraints continue to slow momentum.

Mulilo has established itself as one of South Africa’s leading renewable energy independent power producers (IPPs), with a proven track record of delivery across wind, solar PV and battery energy storage. The company currently operates approximately 450 MW of installed renewable capacity, with a further 1776 MW under construction and over 1 GW of projects progressing toward financial close, positioning it firmly along its stated ambition to deliver 5 GW of assets in operation or construction in the medium term.

While private sector investment continues to expand and renewable technologies become increasingly cost-competitive, longstanding structural challenges - from grid constraints to delays in project execution – remain a reality.

As the AEF 2026 agenda shifts from vision to execution, MacWilliam believes that clarity around policy frameworks will be central to overcoming these challenges and accelerating renewable growth. “What we need right now is policy stability to accelerate renewable deployment,” he says. “Specifically, policy certainty with regards to Eskom's plans for the South African Wholesale Electricity Market.” 

Grid capacity remains one of the most significant bottlenecks facing new renewable projects. Although South Africa’s best wind and solar resources are located in high-yield areas, these are often constrained by insufficient transmission capacity -delaying the deployment of otherwise viable projects. 

“The grid constraints mean that areas in South Africa with the best wind and solar radiation are not available for immediate construction,” says MacWilliam. “We have to wait for large-scale transmission lines to be built before the construction of projects in these areas can commence.” 

With transmission a recurring theme across this year’s programme – including discussions on large-scale transmission projects and grid investment models – MacWilliam says AEF presents a timely opportunity to advance practical, and implementable solutions.

Chief among these is expanding curtailment frameworks to better utilise the existing grid. “An expanded curtailment framework will enable the currently constrained grid to be better utilised,” he says.

Beyond the grid, the sector is also facing shifting demand dynamics. Large energy users have already secured a significant portion of renewable supply, while smaller users only beginning their transition. This has contributed to a slower pipeline of new power purchase agreements, with implications for the pace of project development.

At the same time, permitting and regulatory approvals continue to present challenges. “In a number of areas, such as agriculture and mining, there are competing interests between various stakeholders,” explains MacWilliam. “As a result, there isn't necessarily policy certainty focused on enabling further renewable energy to be built at scale and quickly.” 

Against this backdrop, AEF 2026 presents an important platform for necessary alignment between policymakers, utilities, and the private sector. For Mulilo, securing policy certainty around South Africa’s evolving electricity market remains top priority, followed by strengthening partnerships, and celebrating the progress made over the past year.

Ultimately, as South Africa, and the broader continent, move into a delivery phase for renewable energy, the success of this year’s forum will be measured not only by the conversations it generates but also by the progress that follows.

With rapid renewable deployment being the goal, MacWilliam concludes. “What matters now is how quickly we can translate alignment into delivery.”