The southern African region should leverage China's extensive experience, advanced technology and financing capacity to accelerate its clean energy transition, an energy expert has said.

On the sidelines of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Sustainable Energy Week held in Zimbabwe's resort city of Victoria Falls, Kudakwashe Ndhlukula, executive director of the SADC Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, said Thursday that although the region possesses abundant renewable energy resources, access to clean and modern energy services remains limited.

Ndhlukula said that the region continues to face energy security challenges, which have reinforced its push for industrialization through the sustainable development of natural resources to help bridge the existing energy gap.

"These natural resources include the renewables that we have, resources such as solar, geothermal, wind and others," he added.

As a major global player in clean energy development, China has a huge role to play in the region's power generation, Ndhlukula said.

Noting that China's rapid development of green energy provides a source of inspiration for African countries seeking to expand renewable energy capacity, he said China has built an ecosystem around issues of finance, around technological knowledge.

"We look forward to having China with us as a partner," Ndhlukula said, adding that the partnership with China is critical and there is huge potential for collaboration across all areas.