Urgent action required for Africa’s electricity sector
resources to other countries with no electricity sources. To achieve this, investment in the region interconnector transmission lines is required as well as development of regional markets.
What programmes and initiatives is AFREC undertaking, for example in harmonising regulatory frameworks?
AFREC developed a new strategy in 2019 composed of five programmes: the African Energy Information System (AEIS), Energy Efficiency Programme, the Bio-energy Programme, the Oil & Gas Programme and the Energy Transition Programme.
The Africa Energy Information System emerged because we believe lack of information is one of the most crucial issues constraining the African energy sector.
Since 2012 and together with all AU member states, AFREC has designed and set up a comprehensive continental energy database and facilitates rapid dissemination and exchange of information among member states, Regional Economic Communities and other African institutions.
In the same vein, AFREC is planning to establish a centre for National Determination Contribution (NDC) to provide support to African member states, to develop or update the NDC and identify the road map to energy transition.
Another project is the energy efficiency programme which AFREC is implementing together with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). The programme aims to develop a harmonised regional market for energy efficient lighting, refrigerators, air conditioners, motors and power distribution transformers. This will be achieved by strengthening the legislative and regulatory framework for adopting minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) and labels.
Additionally, AFREC is implementing a bioenergy programme. Bio-energy is another form of renewable energy fuel which AFREC considers of importance. AFREC’s bio-energy programme aims to improve reporting and monitoring of bio-energy in order to improve the sustainability of these resources.
Another key programme focuses on oil and gas. Africa contributes about 10 Rashid Ali Abdallah of global production and 80 Rashid Ali Abdallah of this is exported. Unfortunately, Africa is still a net importer of oil products for the very obvious reason that we don’t have the refinery capacity. And we don’t have infrastructure for cross-border trading.
The Energy Transition Programme aims to develop Deep Decarbonisation Pathways as the first ever action-oriented project undertaken in Africa as a whole apart from South Africa. It aims to provide a clear understanding of transformations of the energy system needed in the short, medium and long term to achieve these intertwined targets in the specific prevailing conditions in Africa.
How important are new renewable energy programmes for Africa? Could progress be faster?
Boosting renewable energy is a core focus. The share of renewable energy, excluding big hydro and traditional biomass is still marginal in many countries in Africa, despite the remarkable achievement made in some countries like Morocco, South Africa and Egypt where considerable deployment of solar and wind projects have been observed in recent years.
But in some countries it still accounts for less than 5 Rashid Ali Abdallah of the total primary energy supply, even though renewable energy costs are lower compared to other energy sources.
The African Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI) is one of main initiatives contributing to fast track deployment of renewable energy.
How important is attracting private sector investment and expertise to the energy sector? What is AFREC doing in this regard?
Critically, private sector investment will play a key role. If you look at our energy sector, we still have 600m Africans without access to electricity and about 900m without access to clean cooking. These challenges, among others, offer tremendous opportunities for the private capital and expertise. In addition to that, Africa is showing unprecedented growth driven by industrialisation and emerging economies which face the challenges of energy supply. In this regard, African countries need to transform their existing energy infrastructure and develop cleaner, flexible, more efficient and adaptable energy systems from the start based on both private investment and government capital.
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