ABU DHABI, Apr 17 (IPS) – Investors, regulators, researchers, policymakers and representatives of renewable energy companies recognized the key challenges of shifting from fossil fuels to renewables in Africa when they gathered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Emirates (UAE) this week.
His latest estimates African Development Bank show that Africa’s energy potential, especially renewable energy, is vast, yet only a fraction of it is currently being used. Official forecasts show that demand for energy could also be around 30 percent higher than it is today over the next decade on the continent.
Francesco La Camera, its General Manager International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) stated that the energy transition is accelerating rapidly but remains clearly off track, with an unacceptably uneven distribution of renewable energy development still disproportionately affecting the Global South.
“African governments and other stakeholders will need to adopt innovative solutions to overcome pressing challenges and achieve the energy transition,” La Camera told IPS in an interview.
According to him, there is an opportunity to prioritize and narrow collective actions to overcome the structural and systemic barriers that prevent progress.
In Africa, experts believe that there are multiple dimensions of energy poverty, which is mainly linked to the lack of clear plans and a clear understanding of what the continent wants to achieve.
“Electricity remains the backbone of Africa’s new energy systems, increasingly powered by renewable energy sources, but a large part of the continent still remains outside the energy transition,” said Bruce Douglas, CEO of Global Renewable Energy Allianceone of the global coalitions of industry leaders committed to accelerating the global transition to renewable energy.
However, several new commitments were made at the latest UN Climate Change Conference (COP 28) which took place in Dubai, UAE, last year, giving further impetus to the energy transition. Experts are now exploring priorities for the energy transition and immediate measures to ensure that current policies on the continent are improved to encourage greater development of renewable energy sources.
The latest estimates show that, with Africa accounting for about 39 percent of the world’s renewable energy potential, several renewable energy milestones can be achieved.
“Private and public investment is critical to addressing the multi-dimensionality of today’s energy crisis on the continent, but to ensure energy security, diversification of various sources is also essential,” Douglas told IPS.
Africa, for example, has abundant hydrogen, solar, wind, geothermal, hydrogen and bioenergy resources, but despite this, the continent’s current energy production mix continues to rely on fossil fuels, with renewables accounting for nearly 18% of production electric power. he said.
While countries pledged on the sidelines of last year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference to accelerate progress toward tripling global renewable energy capacity to at least 11 terawatts (TW) by 2030, some experts believe that is still not a long-term goal. solution as more than half of the population still does not have access to electricity.
Amani Abou-Zeid, h African Union Commission (AUC) Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy told IPS that a cross-border approach is crucial for participating countries in the transition to clean energy affordability.
“Some countries in Africa have started cross-border clean energy projects, but much more effort is needed to develop truly sustainable transitions and sufficient means,” he said.
The Master Plan for Africa’s Continental Energy Systema project currently being developed by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), outlines some key strategies for countries across the continent to identify key elements at national and regional levels that will enable the creation of a smart systems master plan energy that promotes access to clean, affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity supplies across the continent by 2040.
Adja Gueye, Director of Promotion and Partnership at National Renewable Energy Agency in Senegal points out that overall, African countries need appropriate plans at the policy level to overcome some key obstacles on the path to clean energy.
“To facilitate this transition, it would be appropriate for African countries to review their regulatory framework and move towards harmonization as the continent needs to improve regional and cross-border electricity interconnections,” he told IPS.
Both Gueye and Abou-Zeid are convinced that without infrastructure and appropriate green energy policies and strategies at national and regional levels, it is difficult and impossible to buy and sell electricity across borders.
“Top-down government policies and long-term plans for clean energy in Africa are essential,” Abou-Zeid said of the current strategy to create a continent-wide long-term planning process for production and electricity transmission that will include all five African energy reservoirs.
These include the Central African Power Pool (CAPP), East African Power Pool (EAPP), North African Power Pool (COMELEC), South African Power Pool (SAPP) and Western African Power Pool (WAPP).
Dr. Jimmy Gasore, Rwanda’s Minister of Infrastructure, who is also its current president International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) points out that Africa’s climate goals require collective recognition that the energy transition is not only about technological change but also about ensuring equity and justice.
“We must ensure that the benefits of the energy transition are universally accessible, prioritizing the needs of the most marginalized communities,” he said.
To optimize and diversify green energy on the continent, some experts also emphasize the importance of encouraging effective cooperation between the private and public sectors in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.
“To prepare for the current transition to renewable energy, partnerships are essential,” said Gueye of the National Agency for Renewable Energy in Senegal, one of the few dedicated national agencies dealing with clean energy in Africa.
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© Inter Press Service (2024) — All rights reservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service
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