Why Africa must act fast to stem climate change threat
A geothermal power generating plant in Olkaria, Naivasha. The International Energy Agency says more than 800 million Africans, 75 per cent in Sub-Saharan Africa, have no access to electricity.
Ahead of the 2022 UN Climate Change Conference (COP27), we are alive to the layered crises the planet faces, necessitating urgent, grand action. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Africa.
In this continent, and Kenya, to be specific, the climate crisis is manifesting itself in myriad interconnected ways. Failure of rains threatens our food security and accentuates our energy fragility. This layers on an economy emerging from the ravages of Covid-19, and effects of historical development deficit common in the Global South.
There is growing realisation that the world must act quickly, with resolve and in quantum to avert irreversible damage to itself and humanity. This reality was pronounced loudly in Glasgow, at COP26, and sparked a global discourse on energy transition.
A number of energy security and transition conferences have since been held, including the recent Sustainable Energy Conference convened by Kenya’s Ministry of Energy, and Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen). Amid the Russia-Ukraine war, these discussions, unfortunately, take an accent that does not reflect the African reality in its totality.
No access to electricity
The International Energy Agency says more than 800 million Africans, 75 per cent in Sub-Saharan Africa, have no access to electricity. In some countries, that is less than five per cent connectivity. A few countries have developed their renewable resources.
Kenya has made great strides over the past decade in transitioning to renewable energy sources for electricity generation. A leader in the sector, it has more than 75 per cent of green installed capacity with a 92 per cent daily green dispatch.
The country made a decision to diversify its sources of electricity, starting with sustained investment in geothermal energy some 40-odd years ago. That complements hydros and, more recently, expanding wind in providing a base load of clean, reliable and dependable sources of electricity for the next phase of industrialisation and global competitiveness.
Kenya has expanded access from below 30 per cent to 75 per cent in just under 10 years. Notably, the number of households connected to electricity increased from 2.3 million in 2013 to 8.6 million today as the government remains committed to access to low-cost electricity for every home and business.
Power generation output
The completion of KenGen’s 86 megawatt Olkaria I AU 6 geothermal plant cements Kenya’s commanding power generation output. Geothermal represents a big component in the march towards 100 per cent utilisation of renewables by 2030 and is a big win for climate action. It is also consistent with the country’s Least Cost Power Development Plan (LCPDP) for sustainable supply of renewable energy in support of the government’s “Big Four Agenda”.
Bold action is crucial if we are to successfully tackle the unprecedented climate crisis. The scale of action envisaged is huge and the urgency of time upon us. It is, therefore, critical that the African voice finds space not only in the continent but worldwide to articulate the challenges as perceived from our end.
The annual Ministry of Energy-hosted Sustainable Energy Conference is an event to review the state of play for Kenya and Africa, in the global context.
Dr Juma is the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Energy. [email protected]. @AmbMonicaJuma
