New Energy World™
New Energy World™ embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low-carbon technologies.
The sun may yet shine on Africa
11/1/2023
6 min read
Feature
Africa, especially sub-Saharan Africa, is a region in dire need of alternative forms of energy as a heating planet wreaks havoc on its climate and people. But will salvation come from fossil fuels or renewables? asks Selwyn Parker.
This was one of the burning issues at COP27 as one African leader after another made pleas for compensation for climate damage triggered elsewhere that has caused chronic water shortages that hamper food production, extreme weather events ranging from floods to droughts, declining energy supply and, as a consequence, rising poverty.
Right now, Africa as a whole is going backwards in energy terms. As the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) timely Africa Energy Outlook released in November 2022 reports, 4% more people had no electricity in 2021 than in 2019. Meanwhile, many utilities in sub-Saharan nations are running into financial difficulties with increasing risk of blackouts and energy rationing.
In short, the opposite of what should be happening.