African focus at Energy Indaba 2010

According to the BP Statistical Review for 2009, Africa currently holds significant energy resources and boasts a high-level of energy self-sufficiency for the region as a whole. The continent holds respectively 9.7%, 8.2% and 5.9% of the world's total proven resources of crude oil, natural gas and hard oil. The World Energy Council's Survey of Energy Resources 2007 states that Africa holds 12.4% of the world's economically exploitable hydropower capability.

“Nevertheless, these resources are not well developed to meet the growing needs of the continent,” states Dr Fall.

“Yet there are huge prospects for the development of these resources, and significant opportunities for technology deployment and investments channelling that are supported by high profitability rates, cheap labour costs and low production costs,” he says.

In addition, Dr. Fall stated that “driven by the need of clean and modern energy, solar energy, wind power, hydropower schemes and bio-energy can become an engine for economic and social development in all African countries, ; and thus, helping meeting local energy needs, creating jobs, and contributing as clean energy to preserve the environment.”

The WEC has also found that energy in Africa is also being challenged by:

• Weak energy infrastructure and facilities, and that huge financial difficulties are hindering the sustainable development of the continent,
  
• Weak commercial energy consumption, representing only three per cent of the world's total, and overwhelmingly dominated by traditional biomass use in an inefficient and unhealthy way,
  
• Low access to modern energy; for example, electricity access is about 35% for the region and less than three per cent for the rural areas.

The Energy Indaba Conference 2010 aims to offer the opportunity to discuss the ways and means to overcome these challenges, and more specifically, to explore “sustainable energy solutions for Africa” and come up with valuable propositions and recommendations for government and industry of the African countries to “act now” to make things happen in an accelerated and sustainable way.

“The programme of the Energy Indaba 2010 is very comprehensive, and the themes are topical and of great interest for African policy and decision makers,” Fall believes. The conference will also have a significant role particularly as it takes place after the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (COP15) this December. “[The Energy Indaba] might offer the opportunity for the participants to discuss the expected Climate ‘New Deal', and particularly the ins and outs for Africa, as well as the impact on the African energy and environmental sectors,” says Fall. “To that end, it would be highly recommended that the Energy Indaba Conference identify key points for Africa to address the climate changes and to adapt to the new challenging environment resulting from Copenhagen.”

As a follow-up to this Conference, the SA Minister of Energy and WEC plan to act together to advocate the resulting recommendations and their implementation, via African regional bodies such as the African Union, SADC (Southern African Development Community) and ECOWAS (The Economic Community of West African States).

The WEC Africa Regional Meeting on 23 February 2010 precedes the Energy Indaba in Johannesburg. This meeting will explore WEC flagship studies for 2010. It will also address the WEC's agenda for 2011-2013 that will take the focus on the Assessment of Energy and Environment Policy and Global Energy Policy Scenarios.