PROMOTING THE ROLE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY AMONGST GOVERNMENTS IN AFRICA L. Hermann1, H.-P. Grimm1, R. Janssen1, P. Helm1, A. Grassi2, K.O. Adeniji3, R.I. Salawu4, G. Grassi5 1
: WIP – Renewable Energies, Sylvensteinstr. 2, 81369 Munich, Germany; email:
[email protected] : ETA – Clean Power, Piazza Savonarola 10, 50132 Florence, Italy; email:
[email protected] 3 : OAU – Organisation of African Unity, NP PLC Building, 26/28 Marina, P.M.B. 2359 Lagos, Nigeria; email:
[email protected] 4 : University of Lagos, Akoka, P.O. Box 3478 Surulere Post Office, Lagos, Nigeria; email:
[email protected] 5 : EUBIA – European Biomass Industry Association, Rond-Point Schuman 6, 1040 Brussels, Belgium; email:
[email protected] 2
ABSTRACT: This project’s main objective is the development of a joint European and Organisation of African Unity (OAU) strategy for bringing the potential of renewable energies (RE) to the attention of African governments and to develop strategies for large scale RE introduction in African countries. In three target countries, namely Mozambique, Senegal and South Africa, a deep analysis of the energy sector with special reference to RE has been performed. Barriers to the recognition of the potential of renewables have been identified in several areas. Based on the results of these assessments, strategies have been developed and presented in the project’s final publication ‘Renewable Energy for Africa: Renewable Energy Integration Tool (REIT)’ and have been disseminated among African governments and energy experts. Keywords: Strategy - 1: Developing Countries - 2: Energy Options - 3 1. INTRODUCTION The exploitation of clean, renewable energies with solar photovoltaic or solar thermal systems, wind power generators, modern biomass utilisation techniques and small hydro power stations has received increased attention lately in the context of climate protection policies and the long term substitution of the limited coal and oil resources. Renewable energies have economic advantages in many energy demand situations compared to conventional energy sources, especially in Southern countries. Furthermore, due to their virtual inexhaustibility, their independence from fossil fuels, and their proven effectiveness and sustainability in actual operating schemes (not just pilot projects), renewable energies represent an olive branch provided by nature in the challenge to improve living standards in African countries. The conditions for renewable energies are even more favourable in Africa than in most parts of Europe: ·
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the natural resources are often more abundant (e.g. very high insolation levels; large quantity of biomass residues, etc.), their potential is currently largely untapped, yet still accessible (e.g. river flows for small and micro hydro systems with no or only little environmental impact), the location and/or logistics of many rural communities render conventional alternatives (e.g. grid connections, oil distribution for diesel generators) uneconomic or unreliable, RE systems are well suited to meeting the small energy demands of most African households, and the modularity, up-gradability and relative simplicity of most RE options minimises the initial investment but allows the power output to be expanded as circumstances improve.
The current project will provide assistance to African governments in tapping the large potential of renewable energy for their countries’ development [1].
2. RESULTS The development of strategies for the large scale RE introduction in African countries was performed in close cooperation with the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). Three target countries among the OAU member states (South Africa, Senegal, Mozambique) were studied in detail. These target countries represent: · · · · ·
different geographical /climatic regions in Africa varying states of economical development differences in their energy sectors and energy supply potential for different RE sources different states of institutional support for RE
The framework for data collection and the technical prerequisites for processing and analysing the collected data with a database was defined. Barriers to the implementation of RE systems were investigated on several levels, i.e. the governmental, institutional, national utility, commercial and financial level. Based on these results a strategy for overcoming the existing barriers was developed and an integrated planning tool was elaborated. 2.1 Renewable Energy Integration Tool (REIT) 2.1.1 Introduction The Renewable Energy Integration Tool provides a framework in which decision makers and planners in the energy sector can have quick access to first level information they need when assessing the suitability and viability of renewable energy technologies in certain situations and for specific applications. The targeted group
of users of this tool actually encompasses a broad crosssection of personnel involved in the process of planning energy supply concepts in African countries, or alternatively those in a position to make decisions as to the direction of investments in this sector. With few exceptions, the profile of these planners/decision makers will be dominated by experience in conventional energy supply technologies with little background in renewable energy concepts. The types of positions held by this target group range from people working in government ministries or regional offices in less industrialised countries, decision makers responsible for energy issues in development co-operation agencies or their benefactors (principally the governments of developed countries), managers responsible for energy supply in companies based in less industrialised countries, and relevant personnel of non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Realistically, in drawing up energy concepts (e.g. energy plans) for a country or region, hardly any of the above target group will exclusively focus on the exploitation of renewable resources. In fact, in many cases RE energy might not even feature initially in such plans. As such, the goal of this project is not to attempt to promote that energy systems should be switched entirely to RE technology, but rather to provide a valuable foothold for renewable energies by bringing their potential to the attention of the user of those applications for which RE represents the most cost-effective, logistically viable and technologically sustainable option. The emphasis will therefore not be on promoting renewable energy as an alternative to conventional supply, but rather selling it as the most effective solution in certain well-defined situations. Using this strategy, the role of PV, biomass, wind, small hydro, and solar thermal as part of a RE/conventional energy mix in a national/regional/ organisational energy plan can be optimised. The aim of this tool is to provide a framework in which the relevant information can be accessed by the target group to assess the potential of RE for specific applications and, once convinced, to provide them with guidelines for the incorporation of RE into the energy planning frameworks and concrete projects. 2.1.2 Philosophy of REIT The implementation tool is designed such that it is:
concise, straight-forward to use, accessible to energy planners/decision makers with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, and requires only brief background knowledge of renewable energy concepts.
The philosophy adopted to achieve this goal is to lead the user through a sequence of decision and information levels that provide the background needed to determine
whether RE offers a good solution for a specific application, and, if so, what further steps and decisions have to be taken. The decision and information levels comprise:
target sector (e.g. domestic, commercial, health, telecommunication, etc.) application (e.g. lighting, water pumping, small production activities, etc.) typical power demand for the application in less industrialised countries technical options (PV, biomass, wind etc.) technology sizing comparative cost calculations implementation (hardware acquisition, costs, financing etc)
2.1.3 Use of the Renewable Energy Integration Tool A tabular format has been chosen for the tool in order to provide for clarity, ease of use, quick-reference access and functionality. Each level contains one or more of the decision and information themes listed above. Once a user has identified the application of interest, he/she is led through a sequence of levels which serve to better define the problem and provide insight into possible solutions centred on the use of renewable energy systems. Figure 1 shows the roadmap of the implementation tool. In order to provide for ease of use the tool is divided into 5 distinct levels, each dealing with one or more issues relevant to the integration of renewable energies. The first task within the tool (Level 1) is for the user to select the sector of interest and a corresponding application. The Renewable Energy Integration Tool then provides the user with information to determine the best technical options for specific demand situations. The user is encouraged to select a RE technology (and/or a combination of available RE technologies) for the particular application of interest, and should then carry this information on to Level 2. Level 2 serves as a guide to determine the size of a selected RE technology for the application under consideration and the required hardware under consideration of available resources. Thereby, specific sizing equations are provided for various technologies, such as photovoltaic generators, wind turbines, biomass applications, batteries and PV pumping systems. Once a size has been calculated this can be carried through to Level 3 to allow for the determination of a cost estimate. Given input from the size of the desired system determined in Level 2, Level 3 provides a basis for comparing the costs of various alternative schemes to supply energy to regions or communities in the developing world. The user can compare costs of typical RE technologies with those for the provision of the same quantity of energy via a more conventional technique.
Level 1 Sector
Application
Domestic Health School Commercial Industry Community Telecoms Agriculture Tourism
Lighting/TV/Radio Water Pumping Rural Health Centre Battery Charging Workshop Irrigation etc.
Technical Options Solar Wind Biomass Small Hydro Hybrid etc.
Level 2 Sizing Determination of needed size and extent of hardware in function of resources available
Level 3 Costs Calculation of costs, comparison with conventional alternatives
Level 4 Implementation Issues Hardware Financing Management Maintenance User involvement Information/training
Level 5 Effects Likely effects on society and the environment through RES Figure 1: Roadmap of the RE Integration Tool. It should be noted that, although most conventional technology system costs are high when supplying small amounts of energy (a few hundred Wh), they become much more cost effective as the demand increases. However, the operation of a conventional system relies on the access and ability to purchase fuel which could add significantly to the final cost of the energy produced. Since these fuel costs vary so widely from region to region, they have not been incorporated into the tables. Apart from biomass plants that
are designed to use low cost, readily available bio-fuel, RE systems are not faced with this problem. Level 4 of the Renewable Energy Integration Tool is concerned with the best possible implementation of RE systems in African countries. Recommendations for successful RE applications are elaborated for the crucial topics of hardware design, financing, maintenance, management, user involvement as well as information and training of local personnel. Finally, Level 5 tackles the likely effects of RES on society and environment. Effects are changes in some aspect of society or the environment that could potentially occur due to the integration of a RE technology scheme. The purpose of this level is to anticipate what those likely effects could be in different situations and prepare the planner to deal with them. Potential effects were identified in the following areas: · · · · ·
health social life economy education environment
The Renewable Energy Integration Tool (REIT) presents likely scenarios that could arise during or following the execution of a RE integration scheme and documented effects that for previous experience are known to have occurred. Strategies are elaborated how these effects could be minimised or maximised depending on their desirability. In addition, REIT indicates whether the effect is one which is independent of the type of the energy supply (general effects) or whether it applies only to energy supplies involving RE systems (specific effects). Finally, information is provided whether the identified effects have its prime influence on user, local, regional, national or international level. 2.2 Promotion of the Developed Strategy and REIT amongst Governments in Africa During the project, several meetings between the project partners or between project partners and external experts were organised. Where possible, the project work progress meetings have been combined with presentations of the project and the establishment of contacts with African energy experts. The final and most important meeting took place in Algiers, Algeria, in April 2001 on the occasion of the OAU Conference of African Ministers of Energy (Figure 2). The main focus of the conference was the preparation of the African Energy Commission, which is to be founded under the auspices of the OAU. With an opening speech of the Algerian President Bouteflika and a strong representation of energy ministers or high officials from the energy ministries from all OAU member states, the event was an excellent opportunity to get in contact with the main target group of the project, which are decision makers from the energy ministries and utilities.
Figure 2: OAU Conference of African Ministers of Energy The consortium partners used the occasion of the Conference of African Ministers of Energy to present and discuss strategy options for RE in African countries with African government officials
In order to make use of the large potential RE technologies offer for the development of African countries, first the awareness about the technology among the decision makers has to be intensified. There are several well defined energy demand situations in African countries for which renewable energy technology represents the most cost-effective, logistically viable and technically sustainable means of meeting those specified needs. A tool has been developed to enable energy planners, even without deep background knowledge on renewable energy systems, to assess in what way and under which circumstances, RE technology are an option for meeting specific energy demands. Furthermore, this ‘Renewable Energy Integration Tool (REIT)’ provides guidance how RES could be suitably incorporated in the national or regional energy planning frameworks.
This project was co-financed by the European Commission, DG TREN, in the framework of the SYNERGY programme (Project No. 4.1041/D/99-013)
3. CONCLUSIONS The present situation of renewable energies in African countries was thoroughly assessed and barriers to the recognition of the potential of renewables have been identified in several areas. It can be summarised that · · ·
RE has significant natural potential especially in Africa RE is especially well suited to meet the typical small rural energy demands RE presently still plays a minor role in the African energy sector
4. REFERENCES [1] P. Helm, H.-P. Grimm, L. Hermann, J. Stierstorfer, D. Chiaramonti, A. Grassi, G. Grassi, K. Adeniji, R.I. Salawu, ‘Promoting the Role of Bioenergy amongst Governments in Africa: Opening new Market Opportunities for European Industry’, 1st World Conference on Biomass for Energy and Industry, Seville 2000, Proceedings, 1413 - 1416 [2]
Renewable Energy for Africa, Renewable Energy Integration Tool, WIP-Munich (
[email protected]), ISBN 3-936338-03-5
