Revisiting renewable energy development in Sub-Saharan Africa: The role of environmental taxes and environmental technology

The transition to renewable energy is critical for achieving sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly amid escalating climate change risks. This study investigates the joint role of environmental tax and environmental technology in promoting renewable energy development across selected Sub-Saharan African countries from 1990 to 2020. To account for cross-sectional dependence, heterogeneity, and distributional dynamics, the study employs advanced panel econometric techniques, including the augmented mean group estimator and quantile regression analysis. The findings reveal that both environmental taxes and environmental technologies exert a positive, statistically significant impact on renewable energy development across all model specifications. These results suggest that fiscal policy instruments and technological innovation are key drivers of the clean energy transition in the region. In contrast, population growth negatively affects renewable energy adoption, reflecting increasing energy demand pressures, whereas industrialization exhibits mixed, largely insignificant effects across quantiles. Economic growth shows a positive but relatively moderate influence. Moreover, the study underscores the importance of strengthening environmental fiscal reforms and scaling up investments in clean technologies to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy. The findings provide important policy insights for achieving sustainable energy transition and environmental sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa.