Energy efficient solutions can assuage sub-Saharan Africa’s energy challenge
Africa with 15 percent of the world’s population consumes only 3 percent of the world’s energy output. This is caused by deteriorating power infrastructure, dearth of critical investments and lack of political will to implement strategic policy among others.
In view of this, energy efficiency solutions that will not only improve living standards but will support global efforts at reducing CO2 emissions are now seriously required to solve Africa’s energy challenges.
A report by Katrina Pielli et al and published on the USAID website stated that between 2010 and 2040, Africa’s estimated energy demand will grow by 85 percent. While new power generation and associated infrastructure are critical to bridging the gap between energy supply and demand, the role of energy efficiency as a least-cost energy resource is critical to reducing overall demand, decreasing the need for expensive peak capacity, and allowing electricity supply to be expanded to meet increasing demand in a timely, low-cost, and sustainable way.
The article showed how energy efficiency is making a difference in overall demand in Ghana’s appliance labelling program (labelling appliances to show consumers the energy consumption and efficiency of the product) and associated regulations. These efforts have resulted in estimated peak energy savings of over 120 megawatts (MW). It has also displaced the need for $105 million in generation investment and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by over 110,000 tons annually.
“This type of work will continue with support from the Millennium Challenge Corporation’s second compact with Ghana that includes the development and enforcement of additional standards and labels to keep the most energy inefficient products out of the market, as well as improving the peak load management through efficient lighting,” stated the report.
The World Bank stated that in Ethiopia, new compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs are saving rural households money and energy. Through the bank’s project, the Government of Ethiopia distributed five million CFL bulbs. After only half of the bulbs had been distributed they had already saved 80 megawatts of electricity. To build power plants that generates 80 megawatts of electricity costs about $100 million. So, for a $4 million investment in new light bulbs the government saved $100 million in energy costs.
Energy efficient technologies are applied with the goal of reducing the amount of energy required to run businesses or power residential areas. They are practical actions that save cost enhance utilisation and even help the environment. Energy efficiency technologies and renewable energies are the twin pillars of any sustainable energy policy.
Some examples of these energy efficient technologies are installing compact fluorescent lights (CFL) light emitting diode (LED) lights, or natural skylights reduces the amount of energy required to attain the same level of illumination compared with using traditional incandescent light bulbs.
Energy efficient technologies is not limited to energy saving bulbs, they can also be applied to various electrical appliances and even building designs. In transportation, there are several methods used to enhance a vehicle’s efficiency states the online source Wikipedia. Using improved aerodynamics to minimise drag can increase vehicle fuel efficiency. Reducing vehicle weight can also improve fuel economy and vehicle tyres with decreased road friction and rolling resistance save gasoline. Fuel economy can be improved by up 3.3 percent by keeping tyres inflated to the correct pressure according to the resource.
Myles McCarthy, director of implementation at the Carbon Trust has said that switching to LED lighting is the quickest and simplest action any business can take to reduce energy usage. A traditional 60 watt incandescent bulb would produce about 750 to 1,000 lumens – a measure of lighting power – but 95% of the energy used to create that light would typically be wasted in heat.
The International Energy Agency has said that improved energy efficiency in buildings, industrial processes and transportation could reduce the world’s energy needs in 2050 by one third, and help control global emissions of greenhouse gases.
The examples highlighted in this article are a mix of local initiatives and World Bank assisted projects. It raises the concerns of sustainability of these programmes when the lifespan of the projects have lapsed or the government that came up with the initiative have completed its tenure.
If these initiatives are not domesticated or framed in a policy framework, issues of availability and affordability of the bulbs may force West African countries to revert back to their old ways. The best guarantee is if there are fiscal measures or other incentives to encourage local manufacturing of these energy efficient bulbs and government policy compels building designs and electrical systems to install energy efficient solutions as standards.
While some of these technologies may be seen as quick-fix as they free up energy for others, experts have argued that a long-term solution is what many sub-Saharan African countries needs with their power stations functioning below capacity. Distribution system losses due to over-loaded transformers and low capacity cables in dire need of replacement also make a good case for energy efficient systems. It should then be followed by renewable energy projects in solar and wind solutions that Africa has in abundance.
Even before the Paris climate change conference in December 2015, renewable energies have begun to see more investments. There are also quite a number of projects especially providing solar power in rural communities in Nigeria but since huge capital outlay required for major solar or wind projects are not available to African countries who have been unsuccessful achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and now have to tackle Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), improving energy efficiencies is still the best short-term solution at the moment.
Energy efficiency pyramid
Source: www.clean-energy-resources.com
ISAAC ANYAOGU