COP26 in 2021 brought the subject of climate change and the commitments needed by international partners sharply into focus. While the African continent is responsible for no more than 3.8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, it is in its ability to contribute to achieving overall emission reduction targets that Africa stands to benefit.
Africa’s potential to generate green energy is according to Gareth Philips, manager of the Climate and Environment Finance Division of the African Development Bank, an opportunity “for African countries to find ways to guarantee a cleaner future and become a net exporter of clean energies to Europe.”
Africa’s opportunities lie in clean energy generation and reducing its dependence on fossil fuels. And while the role of natural gas in the energy transition in Africa is a subject that is heavily debated, there is also an opportunity to shift to low-carbon development by utilising some of the newly discovered natural gas resources in Africa.
Speaking at COP26, Dr Arron Tchouka Singhe, chief oil sector officer at the African Natural Resources Centre of the African Development Bank told attendees that in Africa “natural gas stands as an ecologically plausible solution for industrialisation and clean cooking…”
However, the exploitation of both green energy and natural gas on the continent can only be achieved if there is significant investment in the development of these sectors.
The ‘clean’ industrialisation of Africa should be one of the key outcomes of such investments – allowing African countries to pursue economic growth and development in a clean and sustainable manner. Singhe suggests that the goal for Africa should focus on “low-carbon development pathways,” rather than “net-zero pathways.”
Among the Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 objectives are the following:
- A prosperous Africa, based on inclusive growth and sustainable development
- Transformed economies
- Environmentally sustainable and climate resilient economies and communities
- World class infrastructure crisscrosses Africa
Fundamental to achieving these goals is the issue of access to energy. According to Max Jarrett, African programme manager, IEA, this should be coupled with consideration for the local context and channelling investments towards priority sectors.
The sector has seen significant developments over the past 24 months – not only has the world been adapting to the realities of life under and post the COVID-19 pandemic, but the trajectory of climate change discussion has changed. Countries around the world are aiming for NetZero emissions between 2040-2050 and calls for Africa to fast track its energy transition are on the increase.
And while there have been multiple discussions on the transition, the realities of an Africa in transition need to be considered and carefully planned to avoid any number of challenges. These include a desire not to put African countries in debt to meet climate ambitions, and recognition that as the continent that contributes the least to global emissions, Africa is in a unique position to ask for meaningful financial and technical contributions from the international community.
The benefits of international commitments to climate change were most recently seen during the COP26 meeting when it was announced that South Africa would benefit from contributions and commitments exceeding $8 billion, enabling the country to transition from a predominantly coal-based generation sector. However, we believe this is just the beginning of a larger conversation around the greater African energy transition and how this will be financed and implemented, and how access to energy is one of the fundamental foundational elements of this transition. This is the conversation we plan on continuing at Enlit Africa – we invite you to join us.
After two years in limbo, the African events industry is making a comeback in 2022 with the latest edition of Africa’s most respected power and energy event. African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa, a stalwart of the industry has been rebranded as Enlit Africa. The energy transition is more than just a transition to cleaner energy – it is a journey to a completely new energy landscape in which generation, transmission and distribution networks evolve and adapt to bi-directional electricity flows, distributed energy, intermittent renewable energy and other new grid technologies. However, this transition is not just about embracing the new – it is about understanding the role that more traditional infrastructure will play in the future and considering the role a multitude of technologies are going to play.
To do so, we must adapt – and that is part of the story behind our name change. At the beginning of 2021, we rebranded as Enlit Africa – transitioning to embrace the new dynamic and welcome the step change in Africa’s power and energy industry. Our programme will reflect the entire power and energy landscape, asking the hard questions and providing the answers to the most challenging questions. From generation to transmission to distribution, from Cape Town to Cairo, Enlit Africa has something for everyone.
Join us from 7-9 June in Cape Town and be part of the conversation. Share your thoughts on the timeline and pathway for the transition and how the transition can be implemented fairly, sustainably and to provide access to energy for all.
- More information can be found at www.enlit-africa.com
