More than twenty African countries have backed the global call launched on Saturday, December 2, in Dubai, to triple renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030. Mohamed Adow, director of the NGO Power Shift Africa, looks back at the energy challenges facing the African continent in the context of the negotiations for the 28th World Climate Conference (COP28).
What's the current status of renewable energy deployment in Africa?
African countries have already pledged to increase their total installed capacity from the current 56 gigawatts to 300 gigawatts by 2030 [as part of the first African Climate Summit held in Kenya in September]. When the rest of the world is talking about a tripling, Africa is going to do more than five times what they've already offered. And this is a continent that is incredibly blessed with renewable energy potential and has some of the best solar energy – 60% of the global solar potential is in Africa. 40% of the strategic minerals needed for decarbonization are found in the continent.
600 million Africans currently lack access to clean cooking and are still dependent on traditional biomass for their cooking and heating. So it's in Africa's interest to leapfrog that energy and become green leaders, said renewables offer them the best opportunity to actually address the energy poverty that is bedeviling in the continent.
What are the obstacles to this transition?
The challenge for the continent of Africa is not so much about the lack of renewable energy potential, it's largely the lack of renewable energy investment. The continent of Africa has only been getting about 2% of the total renewable energy investment globally. Solar, wind and geothermal energy are available resources: all we need is financing and technological cooperation.
Is there a common African position on phasing out fossil fuels?
Africa is not locked into fossil fuels. Just half a dozen African countries are producing fossil fuels. The rest of the continent imports fossil fuels and uses a hard cut and current foreign exchange to import fossil fuels. So it's in Africa's interest to actually join in this global effort and contribute to the phase-out of fossil fuels and the fission of renewables again, it's in Africa's interest to contribute to the gradual elimination of fossil fuels and the promotion of renewables. Like many other geographies, Africa has a little advantage: We don't have a locked-in infrastructure from scratch.
We're going to be developing our energy infrastructure from scratch. And there is an opportunity for Africa to leapfrog and lead in the global transition to renewables and bypass fossil fuels. We cannot catch up with the rest of the developed world by following in their footsteps.
You have 45% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.