Energy Development in Africa

Dr. Johannes Teyssen

Vice-chair World Energy Council Europe

Sustainability Symposium TU Delft

TU Delft, 2nd November 2007

World Energy Council

To promote the sustainable supply

and use of energy for the greatest

benefit of all

• Energy Accessibility

• Energy Availability

• Energy Acceptability

The 3 A’s:

WEC in Africa: 22 Member committees covering 580 million people.

The Earth at nightA simple way to look at electricity consumption

IndiaChina

Africa

Main challenges in AfricaWEC African Committee identified the following challenges:• Low level of access to modern energy

and huge dependence on biomass energy• Weak development of energy infrastructure• Poor energy service quality and inefficient technologies• High capital cost of energy projects• Lack of financing and investment for energy projects• Weak energy integration• Lack of technical expertise• Unfavourable investment climate • Non-transparent business practices

Rural Developing Countries

cooking70%

commerce5%

industry6%

agriculture4%

other household

15%

Industry31%

Transport34%

Commerce12%

Agriculture & Other3%

Residential20%

Industrialised Countries

What do the customers need?

In Africa both types of consumption are present.Consequence: Solution for both cases have to be found.

Hydro power potential in Africa

• Potential for hydro electricity mainly in central and eastern Africa– Democratic Republic of Congo 774 TWh/a– Ethiopia 260 TWh/a– Cameroon 115 TWh/a– In different countries also small scale projects– Africa in total 1.888 TWh/a

• Leading producers Mozambique and Egypt with roughly 11 TWh/a– Actual hydro generation in Africa 73 TWh/a

Grand Inga - Project

• Enormous hydro potential of the River Congo• Lion‘s share located at Inga (series of rapids)• Virtually “drought proof” due to tributaries drain a vast area

north and south of the Equator• Low electricity production costs• Specific topography leads to minimal environmental impact• Capacity 39.000 MW (NL total in 2000: 19.569 MW)• Generation size leads to the most ambitious energy integration

project in Africa as a wholeTime to act is now:• Improvement of political situation in Dem. Rep. of Congo• Strong political and public support for Africa in general by EU,

G8, UN

Grand Inga – Action Plan• Phase 1: Ensure Stakeholder Project (2007)

– Data collection: Africa power demand profile– Meet & assist countries, NGOs, WCD, Transparency, G8, EU,

social impact

• Phase 2: Project Framework (2008-2010)– Complete feasibility studies– Secure political, economic, social and environmental acceptance of

the project– Promote necessary agreements among involved governments

• Phase 3: Development & Finance (2011-2014)– Define shareholder structure for generation, transmission and

commercial entities– Negotiate electricity prices to cover the project costs on a

commercial basis– Coordinate and monitor project development– Start of construction works after 2014

Other renewable sources• Photovoltaic:

Generally too expensive, but can make a contribution as cheaper alternative to diesel in remote areas

• Geothermal:Small contributions possible inRed Sea valley, Kenya, Ethiopia, Algeria, Tunisia

• Wind:Currently unassessed, problem of predictable electricity supply

• Biomass:Already major contributor to Africa’s energy needs (40% of total consumption est.), however: – Used inefficiently– Pollute indoor air– Degrade surrounding environment

Grid connections

• Africa has already some electrically connectedareas

– Northern Africa– West African Power

Pool– South African Power

Pool

• Grand Inga project needs also large investments in grid infrastructure = Integration of the national markets

• Africa already connected to Europe – enhancing the capacities is planned.

Possible AlternativePowerlines(Northern Africa)

Existing PowerlinesProposed (Southern Africa)

Existing Proposed powerlines(Southern Africa)

Possible AlternativePowerlines(Northern Africa)

To Gibraltar To Sicily

To Jordan etc

Small scale projects

• 100 $-Laptop:Access to modern communication needs reliable electricity supply (hand-wheel to charge accumulators)

• Cooking: „Mirt”-ovens by GTZ1 use fuel wood more efficient– Fuelwood time consuming to collect

more time for productive work – Better combustion increase health situation

(e.g. lower rate of acute respiratory infections)– Ovens are produced by local population– Lower demand for fuel wood can make biomass “renewable”

1 GTZ Gesellschaft für technische Zusammenarbeit (www.gtz.de)

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