Post on 13-Mar-2016
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NewKnowledgefor
SustainableBioenergy
Bioenergy Development in Africa: Opportunities and
Challenges
Dr. Ben MuokAfrican Centre for Technology Studies
(ACTS)
NewKnowledgefor
SustainableBioenergy
• In Africa Bioenergy contribute up to 80% of energy requirement of some rural communities
• Most countries less than 10% connected to the grid
• Dependence on biomass is unlikely to change in the near future – with consequences on the environment and health
NewKnowledgefor
SustainableBioenergy
• Over 90% of Tanzanians derive their energy needs from biomass
• 2 % of rural households and 39 % of urban households have access to electricity
energy supply by source in Kenya (IAEA 2007)
0.4%
5.9%
19.1%
74.6%
electricitypetroleum productscoalbomass
NewKnowledgefor
SustainableBioenergy
NewKnowledgefor
SustainableBioenergy
NewKnowledgefor
SustainableBioenergy
NewKnowledgefor
SustainableBioenergy
NewKnowledgefor
SustainableBioenergy
What are Main Drivers?
• Energy security• Carbon emissions• High oil price• Economic development
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SustainableBioenergy
African Perspective• Promoting development is the most
important consideration in the African context, including economic development and energy access for rural communities.
• With business-as-usual, Africa will not meet the MDGs of halving the proportion of people living on less than a dollar a day by 2015
• Achieving this target implies a need for increased access to energy
NewKnowledgefor
SustainableBioenergy
World energy consumptionEnergy consumption - Per capita Tonnes oil equivalent (toe)
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• Fuel type
NewKnowledgefor
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Opportunities
• Africa, as a region, has the most significant amount of underutilized renewable energy sources, but has been slow at mobilizing this potential.
• Cheap labour• Growing economy• Low grid connection
NewKnowledgefor
SustainableBioenergy
• Many countries in Africa with tropical climates are suitable for growing biofuel feedstock
NewKnowledgefor
SustainableBioenergy
• Because of its climatic conditions and land availability many developed countries are turning to Africa to meet there commitments in for biofuel
• It is also a fact that the emerging opportunities for biofuel production in the region could potentially be an avenue for mitigating chronic food security in Africa”
• However, the domestic opportunities that bioenergy offer come with trade-offs.
NewKnowledgefor
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• If not well planned bioenergy development has the potential to:• Displace rural poor• Deny poor access to natural resources• Destroy biodiversity• Displace food & cash crops• Deplete/pollute water resources
NewKnowledgefor
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Why Africa needs careful consideration?
• Africa is not monolithic as many tend to think– Different land tenure– Different resource base– Different socio-cultural conditions
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Challenges
• Policy and regulatory framework• Technology• Capacity• Sustainability question• External financial flows have been
small, relative to the potential.
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SustainableBioenergy
Conclusion• There are abundant bioenergy
recourses in Africa• Appropriate policy at national and
regional level is required for sustainable bioenergy.
• Such policies should consider the environmental, political, social, economic, cultural and natural heritage of individual countries and the region.
NewKnowledgefor
SustainableBioenergy
Thank you for your attention!
b.muok@acts.or.kewww.pisces.or.ke