Introduction
The rapid increase in energy costs as a result of the double effect of inflation and currency depreciation means that smart choices driven by research, development, demonstration and sustainability should lead the way, especially as it affects the growth of the developing countries.
African countries, therefore, have the opportunity to leverage the current global economic situation for sustainable technology enhancement and growth, and also transition towards green and sustainable pathway while securing energy needs and ensuring modern energy fuels from alternative and non-conventional sources. These energy sources, therefore, can easily be made available to the population at competitive prices that are affordable.
This conference focuses on Africa and seeks to bring together various stakeholders such as academia and research scientists, industrialists, small and medium-scale enterprises, technocrats and political actors, NGO’s etc. to exchange knowledge on the following:
1. Establishing facilities
2. Producing and marketing different green fuels and renewable energy options
3. Creating an alternative sustainable future for Africa
4. Advocating and taking into account the energy and fuel needs of rural, peri-urban and urban communities
5. Shaping the inclusive green pathways within the continent.
The conference will create opportunity for thematic interactions between various stakeholders and carve out a unique growth pathway for the African continent and its partners.
Background
In most of the African countries, access to electricity and modern energy fuels is still a big concern for the population. More than half of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) representing about 570 million people, is still lack access to electricity, while only about 18% of the population have access to modern fuels for cooking.
What is more worrying is the fact that many of the countries with even high access to electricity are overly dependent on fossil fuels as a primary energy source. For instance, Ghana’s electric generation capacity is heavily dependent on light crude oil and natural gas, meaning price fluctuations on the international market have a direct effect on consumers. Similarly, fossil fuels account for about 86% of South Africa’s primary energy demand.
These conditions as examples are alarming as many countries in Africa are facing major challenges due to massive debts, lack of maintenance and system failures rising the need for new investment in the transition of the sector.
The need for diversification of energy and fuel source, investment in technologies and new paradigm shift in energy and fuel access is more urgent than ever before. In addition, even though Africa is not a heavy emitter of greenhouse gases, the current situation of overdependence on fossil fuel coupled with the growing demand for energy and fuel as the economy expands and a strong positive population growth rate means the business-as-usual case will not persist for long. Rather sharp increases in greenhouse gas emissions are expected over the near to long term future.
Even though the use of biomass as an energy source is predominant in Sub-Sahara Africa, it is mostly used in its raw state thus posing health hazards as a result of incomplete combustion. On the other hand, the amount of waste produced is also increasing due to various factors such as urbanisation, increased economic activities, rise in living standards, etc.. Based on which waste management is also becoming one of the most pressing challenges faced by most of the countries in the continent.
Although the per capita waste generation of Africa is lower comparatively to other, more developed continents, the lack of treatment technologies, finance, legal and regulatory mechanisms makes the management of waste a very challenging aspect.
The lack of treatment has resulted in many calamities in several African countries including flooding, cholera outbreaks, pollution of surface water bodies and the ocean and the pollution of the marine environment. Lastly, the generation of agricultural residues as result of agriculture and agro-processing activities across the continent present a great opportunity for energy transition.
The diverse and large quantities of agricultural residues generation, amounts of energetic valuable wastes and utilisation of non-conventional fuels means various energy carriers can be developed and generated using these residues to meet or supplement Africa’s energy and fuel demand.
The current situation offers a window of opportunity for Africa to transit from a more dependent fossil based economy to a more sustainable green economy pathway through technology, knowledge and skills leveraging to support rapid transition and economic growth.
Objectives
The main objective of the conference is to encourage a discussion on Africa’s green transition to modern sustainable fuels to setup an action plan in each of the countries in Africa. Thus, the conference will offer the opportunity to the following objectives.
Interact & share
Researchers, academia, industry and policy makers and other stakeholders to interact and share ideas.
Create a platform
Create a platform for continuos exchange
Pathway to green energy Development of a strategy and action plans with specific focuses of individual countries on the transition towards green and sustainable energy and fuel economy
Transfer technology
Enhance the transfer of technology and skills in the area of green energy generation
Africa to world - connect
Build on research collaboration between researchers from Africa and the rest of the world
Promote new technology
Promote knowledge and experience sharing on various sustainable energies and fuel technologies
Observation to regulations
Creation of country-based protocols as suggestions for implementation within the continent