Page 35 - Energize November 2022

VIEWS AND OPINION

Africa needs country-specific narratives for a

clean energy future – study finds

Ahead of COP27, academics from 50 institutions have called for a shift in how politicians,
funders and researchers think about the clean energy transition in the African continent,
as a new study highlights radically different energy needs across countries.

Information from Oxford University fossil fuel resources in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have sent mixed messages
about their net zero commitments.
ublished in world-leading journal A further analysis of all 54 African countries highlights that each nation faces different
Nature Energy, the research starting points, solutions and uncertainties for using renewables or fossil fuels to meet
Pwas carried out by a team of 40 development objectives, and will therefore have a different pathway to success.
African researchers and co-authors from ‘Today’s global debate is characterised by unhelpful generalisations,’ says Prof. Youba
institutes including University College Sokona, author and Vice-Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
London, the UN Economic Commission, ‘Our research highlights that, to achieve development and climate objectives in Africa,
ETH Zurich, the Climate Compatible the international community needs to embrace and support nuance and country-specific
Growth Programme and the University of analysis. Pathways to get to clean energy systems depend a lot on how feasible they are
Oxford. in each African country.’
Until now, they maintain, the global The authors point out, research has consistently shown renewable energy offers huge
north has dominated African energy benefits in Africa and around the world, including growth and job creation, improved
conversations and the continent has been climate change resilience and better public health. Natural gas investments, on the other
considered a homogenous collective with hand, have substantial risk of creating future stranded assets for African countries, with
similar energy needs and net zero paths. little research on the extent of their impact or potential mitigation strategies.
By exploring the energy systems of four
exemplar African countries – Ethiopia,
South Africa, Mozambique and Burkina
Faso – the authors spell out how wrong
that assumption is.
For example, in Burkina Faso, where
electricity access is below 5% in rural
areas, hybrid solar PV–diesel systems
can offer a cost-efficient avenue to
support development. But, Ethiopia is
already a green growth powerhouse
with 90% hydropower and cheap solar
and wind resources to support further
development. The research reveals very
different energy systems and needs
across Africa.
The paper, Africa needs context-
relevant evidence to shape its clean
energy future, coincides with a period of
intense debate around fossil fuel versus
renewables use by African countries.
Leading African institutes and scholars
have described pressure by Western
leaders on African countries to not use
their fossil fuel reserves as ‘hypocrisy.’
Meanwhile, moves by Western countries Figure 1: Country-specific differences of current energy systems and relative generation technology
such as the UK to open up remaining favourability in Africa

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