This archive report was first published on 18 December 2019.
As we strive to 'power Africa,' it's essential to recognize that energy goes beyond just lighting homes and industries. It encompasses all energy needs, from cooking and heating to charging and powering gadgets and equipment in rural and urban areas. Energy is the lifeblood of society.
Unfortunately, Africa's energy system is stuck in the 19th century, with 75-97% of sub-Saharan Africa's population relying on biomass like wood, charcoal, and animal residue for their basic energy needs. Biomass is affordable, available, and reliable, but it's not a sustainable solution for the future.
Today, we see big investments in big energy projects based on hydrocarbons and electricity generation, aiming to power an Asian model of development for labor-intensive manufacturing. However, this approach may bring big debts to sub-Saharan Africa, where 59% of the population still lives in rural areas. Will these new electricity lines reach rural Africans and be reliable, affordable, and sustainable?
The 21st century presents a world of limits, with climate instability, decreasing biodiversity, less water, and more pollution. Our energy investments must now factor in these challenges. The Asian model cannot work in these circumstances, leaving us with one option: Africa must invest in building a new, low-carbon model of modernity.
Africa has significant potential in renewables, but we must move beyond the central grid logic. Investing in last-mile connectivity, as Kenya is doing, could provide all Africans with access to sustainable, reliable, and affordable energy for the next 60 years.
Energy poverty is not a connectivity problem; it's an affordability problem that often affects women disproportionately. Any future energy investment must consider decentralized, off-grid, affordable renewable solutions for powering homes and industries in rural areas and local economies.
When new big power plant plans are unveiled, we're often told that they're necessary for industrializing Africa. However, we must ask: 'Energy for whom?' and 'Energy for what?' before investing in large industries. First, we must ensure that local economies are working by providing local people with access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy.
As the Society for International Development (SID) and the Heinrich Böll Foundation's Nairobi office noted in their 2018 report, 'Energy for Whom? Scenarios for Eastern Africa,' we need to rethink our energy investments and prioritize the real demand from the African people.
