A recent analysis of the largest wind energy facilities in Africa reveals a significant dominance of Arab nations, showcasing their pivotal role in the continent's renewable energy landscape. The report, conducted by the Energy Research Unit based in Washington, indicates that Africa's wind energy capacity surged to an impressive 11.49 gigawatts in 2025, up from 9.58 gigawatts in the previous year, marking an increase of 1.883 gigawatts and a remarkable growth rate of 19.6%.
This substantial growth has been largely fueled by initiatives spearheaded by Arab countries, which have collectively added approximately 7.63 gigawatts of wind capacity since 2016, when the total stood at 3.83 gigawatts. Notably, Egypt and Morocco lead the continent with the highest operational wind capacities.
Egypt's Commanding Presence in Wind Energy
Egypt's dominance in the African wind energy sector is evident, as it occupies the top four positions in the list of the largest wind farms on the continent. This impressive achievement is attributed to significant investments in areas such as the Gulf of Suez and Ras Ghareb. The top four facilities are as follows:
- Red Sea Wind Farm: 650 megawatts.
- Jabal al-Zeit Wind Farm: 580 megawatts.
- Zafarana Wind Farm: 546 megawatts.
- Amonet Wind Farm: 502 megawatts.
The Red Sea Wind Farm, located near Ras Ghareb in Egypt, stands as the largest of its kind in Africa, boasting a capacity of 650 megawatts and has been operational at full capacity since June 2025. This facility plays a crucial role in providing clean energy to over one million homes while significantly reducing carbon emissions by approximately 1.5 million tons annually.
Following closely, the Jabal al-Zeit Wind Farm is the second largest in Africa, with a capacity of 580 megawatts, operational since 2018. It contributes to a reduction of 2.4 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year. The Zafarana Wind Farm ranks third, with a capacity of 546 megawatts, being one of the oldest facilities in Egypt, with its first phase commencing operations in 2000 and subsequent expansions carried out over eight phases. Lastly, the Amonet Wind Farm, with a capacity exceeding 500 megawatts, began full commercial operations in May 2025, securing Egypt’s fourth position.
Morocco's Emerging Wind Power Sector
Morocco is making significant strides in the wind energy sector, with the fifth position held by the Aftissat Wind Farm, which has been operational since 2018. This project officially ranks as one of the largest in the country, targeting a total capacity of 550 megawatts, of which 500 megawatts were operational by early 2026, divided across three operational phases, while the fourth and final phase, with a capacity of 50 megawatts, is currently under construction.
In sixth place, the Lake Turkana Wind Farm in Kenya boasts a total capacity of 310 megawatts, having commenced full commercial operations in 2019. Morocco also claims the seventh and eighth positions with the Tarfaya Wind Farm, which has a capacity of 301 megawatts, and the Boujdour Wind Farm, which produces 300 megawatts, both contributing significantly to the national grid since their respective operational dates in 2014 and 2023. South Africa enters the list in ninth place with the Loriesfontein Wind Farm, which has a capacity of 278 megawatts, fully operational since late 2017. Completing the top ten is Morocco's Jbel Ihdar Wind Farm with a production capacity of 270 megawatts, which has been in service since 2024.
As reported by attaqa.net.
