Course Overview

Energy Transition Fundamentals is a comprehensive 3-day course that demystifies one of the most consequential shifts in modern history — the global move away from fossil fuels towards cleaner, more sustainable energy systems. The course explains what the energy transition actually is, why it matters, and how it is unfolding differently across regions of the world — with a particular focus on Africa.

Participants will gain a clear, non-technical understanding of the key transition technologies reshaping the energy landscape: Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS), Hydrogen, Solar, and Geothermal. Each technology is examined through both a global lens and an Africa-specific opportunity analysis, equipping participants to engage meaningfully in the conversations, investments, and policy decisions that will define the continent’s energy future.

 

Format	Live virtual sessions via Zoom or Google Meet
Duration	3 Days — 1 hour per session
Frequency	Hosted once a month
Certificate	Certificate of Completion awarded upon finishing all sessions
Open To	Students, non-technical professionals, investors, regulators, energy enthusiasts
Contact	+1 365-654-9225  |  info@pentoragroup.com  |  pentoragroup.com

 

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Define the energy transition and explain the key scientific, economic, and geopolitical forces driving it globally and across Africa.
• Understand the architecture of modern energy systems and how transitioning to low-carbon sources requires changes across technology, finance, policy, and behaviour.
• Explain how Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS) works, where it is being deployed, and why it is relevant to Africa’s industrial and energy sectors.
• Describe the hydrogen economy — green, blue, and natural hydrogen — and evaluate Africa’s emerging position as a potential global hydrogen exporter.
• Understand solar energy technologies, their economics, and why Africa’s solar endowment represents one of the continent’s greatest untapped economic assets.
• Explain geothermal energy, its unique advantages for baseload power, and the transformative opportunity it presents for East and Central Africa.
• Analyse Africa’s Just Transition dilemma: balancing energy access, economic development, and climate responsibility in a world demanding rapid decarbonisation.
• Apply these insights to investment analysis, policy evaluation, professional practice, or personal understanding of the global energy transition.

 

  Day 1 — Understanding the Energy Transition: What It Is & Why It Matters

Session Overview

This foundational session establishes the conceptual and factual bedrock of the entire course. Participants learn what the energy transition is, what is driving it, and how it differs from previous energy shifts in history. The session also introduces the African context: why Africa’s relationship with the transition is uniquely complex, and why the continent’s choices over the next decade will matter enormously for both its people and the global climate.

 

Topics Covered

1.1  What Is the Energy Transition?

• Defining the energy transition: from fossil fuels to low- and zero-carbon energy systems
• A brief history of energy transitions: wood to coal, coal to oil, and what makes the current shift different
• The three drivers: climate change and the science of greenhouse gas emissions; energy security and geopolitics; economics and the falling cost of clean technology
• Key concepts every participant needs: carbon emissions, net-zero, decarbonisation, electrification, and energy intensity
• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): what the science says and why 1.5°C matters
• From Paris to Glasgow to Dubai: the evolution of international climate commitments and their implications for energy systems

1.2  The Architecture of the Global Energy System

• How modern energy systems work: generation, transmission, distribution, and end-use
• The current global energy mix: the continuing dominance of fossil fuels and the rapid rise of renewables
• Hard-to-abate sectors: why steel, cement, aviation, shipping, and heavy industry are difficult to decarbonise
• The role of electricity: why ‘electrify everything’ is a central transition strategy
• Energy storage and grid flexibility: the hidden challenge of a renewables-dominant system
• Critical minerals: lithium, cobalt, copper, nickel, and why Africa’s geology makes it strategically vital

1.3  Africa and the Energy Transition: A Continent at the Crossroads

• Africa’s energy paradox: home to vast clean energy resources yet 600 million people without electricity access
• Africa’s minimal historical contribution to global emissions vs. its maximum climate vulnerability
• The leapfrog opportunity: can Africa build a 21st-century energy system without repeating the fossil-fuel path?
• The gas debate: is natural gas a necessary bridge fuel for Africa’s development, or a stranded-asset trap?
• Africa’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): what African governments have committed to and the finance gap
• The $600 billion question: what it will cost to transform Africa’s energy system and who will pay

1.4  Key Actors, Frameworks & Institutions

• International Energy Agency (IEA) and IRENA: the data-setters and scenario-builders
• The African Development Bank’s Mission 300: electrifying 300 million Africans by 2030
• The African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the energy transition nexus
• Development Finance Institutions (DFIs): World Bank, AfDB, IFC, and their evolving energy mandates
• Private sector actors: the role of multinational energy companies, IPPs, and local developers
• Civil society and communities: why local ownership and acceptance determine project success

Why This Matters for Africa ▶  Africa holds 60% of the world’s best solar resources but generates less than 1% of global solar power. ▶  The East African Rift Valley is one of the world’s most prolific geothermal zones, yet only Kenya has developed it at scale. ▶  Africa could become a leading green hydrogen exporter, supplying Europe and Asia by 2035–2040. ▶  CCS technology could allow Africa to industrialise using its existing gas resources while meeting climate targets. ▶  Getting the transition right could add $2.8 trillion to African GDP by 2030 (IRENA, 2022).

 

  Day 2 — CCS & Hydrogen: Decarbonising Industry and Building Africa’s New Export Economy

Session Overview

Day 2 focuses on two of the most strategically important and commercially exciting transition technologies for Africa: Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS) and Hydrogen. These are not simply environmental tools — they represent potential new economic pillars for African nations. This session explains how each technology works, the global state of play, and the specific opportunities and risks they present for the continent.

 

Topics Covered

2.1  Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS): The Basics

• What is CCS? The three-step process: capture, transport, and permanent geological storage
• Why CCS is necessary: the IPCC and IEA consensus that CCS is unavoidable in net-zero scenarios
• Types of capture technology: post-combustion, pre-combustion, and oxyfuel capture
• Direct Air Capture (DAC): removing CO₂ directly from the atmosphere — promise and limitations
• Carbon utilisation (CCUS): turning captured carbon into fuels, materials, and chemicals
• Key global CCS projects: Sleipner (Norway), Quest (Canada), Boundary Dam, and the Northern Lights hub

2.2  CCS: The African Opportunity

• Why Africa needs CCS: industrialisation, gas-based power generation, and the cement/steel sectors
• Geological storage potential: Africa’s sedimentary basins, depleted oil & gas fields, and saline aquifers
• South Africa’s CCS journey: the Teemane Carbon Capture Project and the South African CCS Centre
• Nigeria and Algeria: leveraging existing oil & gas infrastructure for CCS deployment
• The role of CCS in enabling gas as a transition fuel while meeting climate commitments
• Carbon markets and credits: how CCS projects generate revenue through voluntary and compliance markets
• Financing CCS in Africa: the role of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), DFIs, and CCUS funds

2.3  Hydrogen: Understanding the Colour Spectrum

• What is hydrogen and why does it matter as an energy carrier?
• The hydrogen colour codes explained: grey, blue, green, turquoise, and natural (white/gold) hydrogen
• Green hydrogen: produced by electrolysing water using renewable electricity — the clean gold standard
• Blue hydrogen: produced from natural gas with CCS — lower carbon, lower cost, contested credibility
• Natural (geological) hydrogen: the emerging frontier — what it is, where it’s found, and why it could be transformative
• The global hydrogen economy: current scale, cost trajectories, and 2030/2050 market projections
• Key demand sectors: heavy industry (steel, ammonia, fertilisers), heavy transport (shipping, aviation, trucks), and power balancing

2.4  Hydrogen: Africa’s Green Export Opportunity

• Why Africa is ideally positioned: abundant solar and wind resources for low-cost green hydrogen production
• The LCOE (Levelised Cost of Energy) advantage: how African renewable electricity costs translate into competitive green hydrogen
• Country spotlights: Namibia (Hyphen Hydrogen Energy), South Africa (HySA, Boegoebaai), Egypt (Suez Canal Hydrogen Hub), Morocco (IRESEN)
• Export corridors: pipelines, ammonia shipping, and liquid hydrogen logistics to Europe and Asia
• The EU’s REPowerEU and Global Gateway: why Europe is investing in African green hydrogen supply chains
• Natural hydrogen in Africa: Mali’s Bourakébougou field, prospective basins in West and Central Africa
• Risks and realities: water scarcity, infrastructure gaps, cost competitiveness, and domestic use vs. export tension

Spotlight: Namibia’s Green Hydrogen Ambition ▶  Namibia’s Hyphen Hydrogen Energy project targets 300,000 tonnes of green hydrogen per year by 2030. ▶  The project would utilise 5 GW of wind and solar capacity in the Tsau //Khaeb National Park. ▶  Estimated $10 billion investment — one of Africa’s largest ever single energy projects. ▶  Export destination: primarily Europe, via ammonia shipping, aligned with the EU’s hydrogen import strategy. ▶  The project illustrates both the enormous opportunity and the infrastructure, water, and governance challenges ahead.

 

Day 3 — Solar & Geothermal: Powering Africa from Sun and Earth

Session Overview

The final session examines the two transition technologies most directly relevant to solving Africa’s energy access crisis and building a clean, reliable electricity system: solar energy and geothermal power. These technologies are examined in depth — from how they work to how they are financed, regulated, and deployed across the continent. The session concludes with a synthesis of all four transition technologies and a practical application exercise.

 

Topics Covered

3.1  Solar Energy: How It Works & Why the Economics Have Changed

• Solar photovoltaics (PV) explained: from silicon to electron to electricity
• Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) with thermal storage: dispatchable solar for 24-hour generation
• The solar cost revolution: why solar PV costs have fallen 90% since 2010 and what this means for Africa
• Utility-scale solar farms vs. distributed rooftop solar vs. off-grid mini-grids: different solutions for different contexts
• Solar-plus-storage: combining PV with battery systems to overcome intermittency
• Key performance metrics: capacity factor, LCOE, and the importance of irradiation data

3.2  Solar in Africa: A $1 Trillion Opportunity

• Africa’s solar resource endowment: the Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) map and what it means in practice
• North Africa: Morocco’s Noor Ouarzazate CSP complex and Egypt’s Benban solar park — lessons for the continent
• Sub-Saharan Africa: South Africa’s REIPPPP auction programme as a model for competitive procurement
• Scaling Solar: the IFC/World Bank programme and its roll-out across Zambia, Senegal, Ethiopia, and Côte d’Ivoire
• Off-grid solar revolution: how pay-as-you-go (PAYG) solar home systems are electrifying rural Africa without the grid
• Leading African solar developers: Scatec, ENGIE Africa, ACWA Power, Globeleq, CrossBoundary Energy
• Barriers to scale: grid infrastructure, land tenure, skills gaps, foreign exchange risk, and utility creditworthiness
• Solar for agriculture, water pumping, and productive use: beyond electricity generation

3.3  Geothermal Energy: Tapping the Earth’s Heat

• How geothermal works: the Earth’s internal heat, hydrothermal systems, and converting steam to electricity
• High-enthalpy vs. low-enthalpy resources: power generation vs. direct heat applications
• The advantages of geothermal: baseload, 24/7, small land footprint, long asset life, and low operating costs
• Exploration and development: geological surveys, resource assessment, and the high-cost, high-risk drilling phase
• Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS): unlocking geothermal potential beyond naturally hydrothermal zones
• Financing the exploration risk: why geothermal’s upfront risk profile requires specialist de-risking instruments

3.4  Geothermal in Africa: The Rift Valley Advantage

• The East African Rift System (EARS): one of the world’s most prolific geothermal provinces
• Kenya’s Olkaria geothermal complex: how geothermal became the backbone of Kenya’s electricity system (47% of installed capacity)
• Ethiopia’s Corbetti and Tulu Moye projects: scaling up East Africa’s second geothermal powerhouse
• Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Djibouti, and Eritrea: the next wave of East African geothermal development
• The Geothermal Risk Mitigation Facility (GRMF): the African Union mechanism for de-risking geothermal drilling
• Geothermal for direct use in Africa: greenhouses, fish farming, food processing, and district heating
• Beyond the Rift: geothermal prospectivity in the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Comoros, and Central Africa’s volcanic zones

3.5  Comparing the Four Technologies: A Strategic Framework for Africa

Technology	Carbon Capture (CCS)	Hydrogen	Solar (PV/CSP)	Geothermal
Primary Role	Decarbonise industry & gas power	Clean fuel & export commodity	Electricity generation & access	Baseload clean electricity
Africa’s Edge	Sedimentary basins; gas infrastructure	Low-cost renewables; proximity to EU	World’s highest solar irradiance	East African Rift System
Key Challenge	High capital cost; policy support needed	Water scarcity; infrastructure; cost	Grid integration; utility reform	High upfront exploration risk
Maturity Level	Early-stage in Africa	Emerging; pilot phase	Mature; rapidly scaling	Proven (Kenya); emerging elsewhere

 

3.6  Synthesis: The Just Transition & Africa’s Strategic Choices

• What is a Just Transition? Principles, contested definitions, and why Africa’s version must look different from Europe’s
• The energy access imperative: no just transition without universal electricity access first
• Managing stranded asset risk: how African nations can avoid locking in fossil fuel infrastructure that becomes uneconomic
• Domestic value creation: ensuring Africa captures manufacturing, jobs, and revenue — not just energy — from the transition
• Climate finance equity: why the $100 billion pledge fell short and what Loss & Damage means for African development
• Africa’s negotiating power: critical minerals, clean energy potential, and the leverage it brings to COP and bilateral deals

3.7  Practical Application & Synthesis

• Case study: Evaluating a real-world African energy transition project spanning two or more technologies
• Role-play scenario: investment committee review, policy design workshop, or community stakeholder consultation
• Group discussion: Which technology offers Africa the greatest near-term opportunity — and why?
• Q&A with facilitator
• Course wrap-up, key takeaways, and certificate issuance

 

Assessment & Certification

Participants are evaluated on attendance and engagement across all three sessions. A Certificate of Completion is awarded to participants who attend all three sessions and actively participate. The certificate is issued by Pentora Group and recognises foundational competence in the global energy transition, its key technologies, and their application to the African market context.