The African Development Bank, the African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), and the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), brought together key stakeholders in Abidjan to align Africa’s climate action priorities ahead of the COP29 conference.
The meeting, the Twelfth Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa, opened on 30 August on the sidelines of the Tenth Special Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN).
Cote d’Ivoire’s Minister for Environment, Sustainable Development, and Ecological Transition welcomed participants.
In his opening remarks, he stressed the disproportionate impact of climate change on Africa despite its minimal contribution to global emissions.
“Africa emits less than 4 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions, yet it is the most affected by the harmful consequences of climate change,” the minister noted.
He urged participants to develop concrete outcomes during the conference, which should serve as a platform for actionable recommendations to strengthen Africa’s participation in upcoming international negotiations including COP29.
Ambassador Josefa Sacko, AUC Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment made opening remarks.
She said, “Without urgent adaptation and mitigation efforts, climate change will lead to an equivalent of 5 percent annual loss in GDP on the continent by 2040, with the poor, women, and the most vulnerable and marginalised populations, predominantly in Africa, bearing the brunt of the impacts.”
She urged participants to join forces ahead of COP29, with an emphasis on mobilising climate finance at scale for the continent.
“We must anchor our negotiations, deliberations, and common position on securing grants rather than debt or loans, scaling finance for projects, and enhancing carbon markets,” Sacko added.
Prof. Anthony Nyong, African Development Bank Director for Climate Change and Green Growth, called on meeting participants to do more.
“We need to continuously increase our support and financing for Africa to address the growing impacts of climate change on national economies, societies, and ecosystems,” he said.
Nyong said that Africa faces a significant climate financing gap.
“The current global climate finance falls far short of African countries’ needs and expectations, with less than 3 percent reaching sub-Saharan Africa annually.”
He reaffirmed the African Development Bank’s commitment to doubling climate finance to reach $25 billion by next year and increasing Africa’s share of global climate finance from 3 percent to 10 percent.
The Twelfth Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa is expected to build consensus around African countries’ position on climate action and align priorities with the outcomes of the 2023 global stocktake, a key process under the Paris Agreement that assesses global progress on climate goals to guide future actions and policies.
Key objectives include developing robust frameworks for nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and identifying financing needs for climate adaptation and resilience-building.
The Tenth Special Session of AMCEN and UNCCD COP 16 Regional Consultation(link is external) will be held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from 30 August to 6 September 2024, under the theme “Raising Africa’s Ambition to Reduce Land Degradation, Desertification, and Drought.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana’s second largest state-owned power generation company, Bui Power Authority (BPA), will next month (October 2024) add 30 megawatts more of solar power from Yendi onto the national grid.
This will bring to a total of 85 megawatts of solar power that BPA generates onto the national grid.
The 30 megawatts will be the phase I of the 50 MWp solar power project being executed by BPA at Yendi in the Northern Region.
Speaking at the 2024 Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Accra last Friday, the Chief Executive Officer of BPA, Samuel Kofi Ahiave Dzamesi, said his outfit was committed to the development of Solar PV in northern Ghana.
Touching on the Yendi project, Mr Dzamesi said his outfit was making an effort to acquire lands around sub-stations at Bawku, Sawla, Tumu, Buipe and Zebila for similar projects.
Apart from the solar power projects, Mr Dzamesi revealed that feasibility studies for run-of -the-river hydro schemes on the three western rivers, namely Pra, Ankobra and Tano, and small/mini hydro schemes on the Wli Falls.
According to him, this study would provide the needed consideration for possible future development.
Ghana’s total solar energy portfolio is currently around 187 MW.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The Executive Director for Africa International Trade and Commerce Research, Dr. Sand Mba-Kalu says the fuel price hike by NNPC Ltd. from N617 per litre to N897 litre will push more Nigerians into poverty.
He said the sudden increase in Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, pump price the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) was beyond a simple fuel price adjustment.
He said that it would have a far-reaching impact on Nigeria’s private sector, trade and the already suffering Nigerian masses.
He was speaking to News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja while reacting to the development.
NNPC Retail Management has approved upward review of the pump price from N617 per litre to N897 llitre, effective from Sept. 3, amidst economic hardship and persistent fuel scarcity.
Consequently, NNPC retail stations adjusted their pumps and totems (price boards), reflecting new PMS price of N897 against N617 per litre while independent marketers who are selling between N930 to N1,200.
Mr Mba-Kalu said without government interventions, the economic and social repercussions of this price hike could be severe and long-lasting, pushing more people into poverty.
“What we will witness is the immediate high cost of transport, which will lead to higher costs of food and inflation.
“In the long term, it could pose challenges for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the agricultural sector,” the expert said.
He urged the Federal Government to acknowledge these implications and consider measures to reduce the impact, such as targeted incentives for energy efficiency, stopping wasteful spending, and reducing cost of governance.
“Without such interventions, the economic and social repercussions of this price hike could be severe and long-lasting, pushing more people into poverty,” he warned.
Chris Nzeh, a motorist, who condemned the development, describing it as crazy, said what had been going on in Nigeria under the current government would only suffocate Nigerians.
“How do they want the average man to survive?
“We were told that with the removal of fuel subsidy, fuel will be available everywhere in Nigeria, but today, it appears NNPC Ltd. is scamming Nigerians.
“They are the sole importer of petroleum and they have refused to make refinery work and you ask yourself what is going on in Nigeria.
“Nigerians should rise and save this country from collapse,” he said.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Libya’s state oil firm declared force majeure on key field El-Feel amid a widening shutdown of production triggered by a power struggle in the OPEC member.
The force majeure, a legal clause that allows companies to suspend contractual obligations due to circumstances beyond their control, came from National Oil Corp.
After authorities in the east stopped all output and exports in a dispute with rivals over control of the central bank.
The country’s production has more than halved since then. El-Feel was pumping about 70,000 bpd.
The eastern and western governments are in a standoff over the bank, the custodian of billions of dollars of energy revenue.
Eastern authorities ordered the freeze after the internationally recognized government in the capital, Tripoli, replaced Governor Sadiq Al-Kabir.
The nation was pumping about 1 MMbpd before the halt order, with the vast majority of that coming from the east. Daily production in the past week plunged to about 450,000 bpd.
Oil prices in London jumped above $80 a bbl when the production halt was announced last week. They’ve slipped since on concerns about global demand.
Al-Kabir, who’s feuding with Tripoli-based Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah and has allies in the east, rejected the order to step down, prompting western authorities to take over the bank’s headquarters.
Source: World Oil
The Tema Region of the Electricity Company of Ghana has lost a transformer to thieves who vandalised and made away with some components of the transformer and associated items.
The transformer, a 100KVA, 33/0.433KV, valued at about GHC75,000, was discovered to have been vandalised on the morning of Saturday, 31st August 2024 during a routine patrol to check on the network to fix a power outage situation.
The transformer, located at the Asutsuare Junction, had been brought down, some parts removed and taken away while other components lay scattered around it.
The ECG officials who made this discovery made a report on this to the Doryumu Police Station.
Speaking on this, the Regional Engineer for ECG Tema Region, Ing Michael Buabin, indicated that “the damages to these transformers cause inconveniences to customers as some had been without supply due to the damage.”
He added that “it also causes the company as resources meant for other projects have to be re-chanelled into replacing the stolen transformer.”
He indicated that “the damaged transformer guy itself would cost about GHC75,000 while the associated components needed will likely raise the cost to over GHC100,000, an amount which could have gone into other developmental projects by the organisation.”
Ing Buabin made a plea to the public, asking that “they should support the ECG, and to report any persons seen damaging or trying to sell off such items to the police as that can help to hopefully prevent such occurrences in the future.”
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Qatari state-owned petroleum company QatarEnergy has unveiled plans to build a new 2GW solar power project in Qatar’s Dukhan area.
The initiative is expected to more than double Qatar’s solar energy production capacity, while significantly contributing to the nation’s lower carbon emissions.
The project will elevate Qatar’s photovoltaic (PV) solar power production capacity to 4GW, a report by power technology said.
Dukhan solar power plant, along with the existing Al-Kharsaah solar power plant, was inaugurated in 2022 with an 800MW capacity.
Two further upcoming projects in the Ras Laffan and Mesaieed industrial cities will bolster QatarEnergy’s solar power portfolio.
The Ras Laffan and Mesaieed projects, with a combined capacity of 875MW, are anticipated to commence production before the end of 2024.
With the Dukhan plant’s completion, QatarEnergy’s solar power projects within Qatar will have a total capacity of 4GW by 2030, representing almost 30% of the nation’s total electrical power production capacity.
The Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the president and CEO of QatarEnergy Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi stated: “I am pleased to announce that, in line with our sustainability strategy, we will more than double our solar power production capacity to about 4,000 megawatts by 2030 through the world-scale, 2,000-megawatt Dukhan solar power plant.”
“I would like to emphasise that developing solar power plants is one of Qatar’s most crucial initiatives to reduce CO₂ missions, develop sustainability projects and diversify electricity production, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by more than 4.7 million tons per annum.”
In August 2022, QatarEnergy awarded a QR2.3bn ($630.33m) contract to South Korea’s Samsung C&T for the construction of its industrial cities solar power project, IC Solar.
The contract covers the construction of two solar PV plants with a total clean power generation capacity of 875MW.
Samsung C&T will handle the engineering, procurement and construction of the solar power plants, which are scheduled to be commissioned by the end of 2024.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
TotalEnergies and Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) have entered into an agreement to create a new joint venture, equally owned by TotalEnergies and AGEL, with a 1,150 MWac (1,575 MWp) solar portfolio in Khavda in Gujarat.
The electricity generated by the solar projects will be sold through Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) signed with the federal government agency, Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), and through sales on the wholesale market.
This new transaction will allow TotalEnergies to capitalize on the ongoing liberalization of the Indian electricity market.
This will strengthen TotalEnergies’ strategic alliance with AGEL, allowing it to support the company in becoming a global renewable leader as it targets 50 GW of renewable power capacity by 2030, a statement issued by TotalEnergies said.
AGEL already operates over 11 GW of solar and wind capacity in India.
AGEL will contribute to the joint venture with assets and TotalEnergies will provide an equity investment of $444m to support their development.
The signing and completion of the transaction is subject to the approval of AGEL’s shareholders and satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including the receipt of certain regulatory approvals.
Khavda-the world’s largest renewable energy plant AGEL (19.75% owned by TotalEnergies), is developing the world’s largest renewable energy site in the Khavda region (Gujarat).
Spanning over 538 km², five times the size of Paris, the site will boast solar and wind capacity of 30 GW. Of this, 2 GW has already been operationalized by AGEL.
Once completed, Khavda will generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 16 million homes in India.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
By:Dr. Riverson Oppong, CEO of Association of Oil Marketing Companies (AOMC), Ghana
“Research is the foundation for innovation, and innovation is the future of energy.” Bill Gates
I participated in a key panel discussion convened under the all-important theme “Innovation, Research, and Development in Africa’s Energy Systems” at the Future of Energy Conference organized by the @Africa Centre for Energy Policy”.
During this crucial dialogue, I emphasized the urgent need for Africa to adopt a comprehensive and tailored approach to energy transition.
Drawing on China’s strategy of leveraging all available energy solutions—from their expansive solar installations to significant coal capacities—I highlighted the importance of focussing on industrialization and ensuring energy security alongside the transition.
I challenged the notion that Africa’s relatively low carbon emissions justify complacency or exclusion from the global energy transition.
With 51% of our emissions coming from the transport sector, I underscored the critical need for innovative solutions to reduce our carbon footprint.
Hydrogen offers promising potential, yet challenges related to transportation and storage must be addressed.
Similarly, geothermal energy, which employs drilling techniques akin to those in oil and gas, remains underexplored in West Africa—an issue I left our energy commission to ponder on.
I also questioned why hydropower is often overlooked in renewable energy discussions and emphasized the need to develop smart grid infrastructure to minimize transmission losses as we expand solar and other renewable investments.
Contrary to fears that the energy transition will eliminate jobs, I argued that it will transform them.
I advocated for our educational curriculum to be revamped to equip students with the hands-on skills required for the evolving energy sector.
The example of petroleum engineers in the Middle East being retrained to install solar panels is a case in point.
It is disheartening to see our brightest engineers leaving the continent. Adapting our curricula to include emerging technologies like AI is crucial.
I also punctuated the need for robust investment in research and development, particularly in renewable energy, and called for governments to intentionally support businesses that are building technologies in Africa, reducing dependency on imports.
Finally, I accentuated the importance of creating favourable policies that encourage the growth of startups and the development of skilled professionals.
I was honoured to contribute to this critical discourse with other key industry professionals. My immense gratitude to African Centre for Energy Policy for creating a platform for key discussions such as these to take place.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Zambia’s power situation is growing from bad to worse as the country’s power utility company, Zesco Limited, announces its inability to implement a 17-hour power rationing schedule which was to commence on 1st September 2024.
The power utility company blamed the situation on an unforeseen development, arising from a number of factors.
Among the factors are reduced power imports from the southern circuit via Namibia due to a converter fault on the transmission line.
The company also talked about ongoing annual plant maintenance works at Maamba Collieries Limited, which has temporarily taken 150 MW off the national grid.
To cushion the impact of this power supply shortfall, Zesco Limited said it had undertaken some measures, including power supply to residential customers for up to three hours per day on a rotational basis to support access to household essentials, such as water pumping, prioritising essential services like health, water pumping, and security and installing diesel-powered generators in some markets to support business continuity.
With the installation of these generators, the utility company also expects to ease grid pressure by freeing up some power initially reserved for exempted loads, which can then be redistributed on the network.
“The corporation will continue to monitor the situation closely and will release an updated power rationing schedule as soon as power supply conditions improve and network stability is achieved.
“We seek our customers’ understanding and patience during this challenging period. The inconvenience caused is deeply regretted,” the company stated.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Nigeria’s state-oil firm NNPC on Sunday said it is facing financial strain making it unable to import petrol into Africa’s most populous nation, that has seen weeks-long fuel scarcity across its retail stations.
The news comes after Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), the country’s sole importer of refined products, in August announced record profits for 2023 but warned that it was covering for shortfalls in government’s petrol import bill.
Reuters reported early July that the NNPC’s debt to oil traders had surpassed $6 billion, doubling since early April, as the company struggled to cover the gap between fixed pump prices and global fuel costs. The NNPC declined to comment at that time.
It later blamed operational hitches for the long fuel queues.
“This financial strain has placed considerable pressure on the company and poses a threat to the sustainability of fuel supply,” NNPC’s spokesperson Olufemi Soneye said in a statement late on Sunday.
President Bola Tinubu scrapped a costly but popular subsidy on petrol last year when he took office, to cut government expenditure. But he reintroduced subsidy partly after inflation skyrocketed, worsening a cost of living crisis and stoking tension among the population.
The IMF has said fuel subsidies could cost Nigeria up to 3% of GDP this year as the increases in pump prices have not kept up with their dollar cost.
The West African country expects to likely spend 5.4 trillion naira ($3.7 billion) this year – 50% more than in 2023 – to keep petrol prices fixed, while borrowing to plug gaps in its budget, a draft document had said in June.
“We are actively collaborating with relevant government agencies and other stakeholders to maintain a consistent supply of petroleum products nationwide,” the NNPC said.
Source: Reuters
Ghana’s two major political parties, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), have both expressed their commitment to nuclear power development by promising to introduce nuclear power into the country’s energy mix in their Manifestos for the 2024 General Election.
Ghana’s energy mix is mainly from hydroelectric power, thermal and solar energy.
However, the demand for reliable and affordable power has necessitated the need for the West African country to add nuclear power into the energy mix.
Consequently, the country has made strides towards establishing the first nuclear power and is currently at the second stage of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) requirements for nuclear power projects.
According to Nuclear Power Ghana, the agency spearheading the nuclear power project has identified the Central and Western Regions of Ghana as the two suitable locations for the siting of the nuclear power plant.
Interestingly, the quest for nuclear power projects has received endorsement from the two major political parties.
On page 110 of the 2024 Manifesto of the NPP, it said, “Under the Bawumia presidency, we will continue the government’s plans to establish a nuclear power plant to generate affordable electricity for industrial and domestic uses.”
The NDC also said, “Under Mr John Dramani Mahama, we will systematically: implement an energy transition strategy that will augment thermal and hydropower production with nuclear and other renewable energy sources like solar, wind, biogas, waste-to-energy and other off-grid energy systems such as mini-hydropower production (e.g. Juale, Pwalugu and Pra), optimising the flexibility and adaptability of our power system and supporting planned special production zones while reducing our carbon footprint.”
The Executive Director for Nuclear Power Ghana Dr Stephen Yamoah recently disclosed that the NPG is in the process to request for IAEA site and external events design SEED mission.
This assessment will afford the IAEA experts the opportunity to review Ghana’s siting activities for construction of nuclear power plant up to the point of preferred site identification.
The mission will thus afford NPG the opportunity to fill in gaps when undertaking the detailed site characterisation studies, which is the next stage of the siting activities and seek regulatory approval before the site can be ready for construction
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana’s leading Indigenous Oil Marketing Company, GOIL PLC, has announced a reduction in the prices of both Super XP (Ron 91) and Diesel XP for the first pricing window in September 2024.
A litre of Super XP (Ron 91) has been reduced to Gh¢14.16 from Gh¢14.22 per litre while Diesel XP has been reduced to Gh¢14.70 from Gh¢14.90 per litre effective Monday, September 2, 2024.
This means that petrol has witnessed a reduction of 6 pesewas while diesel witnessed a 20 pesewas reduction.
Since the second pricing window in August, the cost of refined petroleum products has been declining, with petrol falling to US$779.10 per metric tonne while Diesel declined to about US$712.8 per metric tonne.
Forex (exchange rate) which is also one key determinant of cost ex-pump price of fuel has also seen some stabilisation, with a dollar being exchanged for Gh¢15.73
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited, the operators of the Kainji, Jebba and Zungeru hydropower plants in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has swiftly repaired the Sabon Pegi Bridge within 24 hours after its collapse due to heavy rainfall last Friday.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) had previously issued warnings of heavy rainfall and potential flash flooding over the weekend, which were accompanied by thunderstorms.
The flash floods caused the collapse of the Sabon Pegi Bridge, a vital link between the southwestern and northwestern regions of Nigeria.
The incident, reported early on Friday morning, led to confusion among the local communities.
Mainstream Energy Solutions was promptly contacted, and the Chairman of the Board immediately approved the company’s intervention to repair the bridge.
Abdullahi, a local youth, expressed gratitude, saying, “We pray for Mainstream always because there are very few companies in Nigeria that can respond so quickly to such a problem. They are a highly responsible company.”
Siraj Abdullahi, an Executive Director of the Company, said, “This is what Mainstream is about. We have brought relief and restored the economic artery of the Borgu Land and the Southern Sokoto and Kebbi States.”
Ghana’s leading indigenous oil marketing company, GOIL PLC, in partnership with the Soroptimists Club of Accra, has inaugurated three borehole projects in the Ekumfi District of the Central Region.
The borehole water projects, connected with overhead tanks and pipes, were constructed for the pupils of the Egyankwaa Owuwa Basic School, the Eyisam Basic School and the Ekumfi Twa Community.
The borehole facilities for the schools will enable the over 400 pupils and teachers of the two schools to access potable water while the Ekumfi Twa community will benefit from easy access to clean water even during the dry season.
At a ceremony to hand over one of the borehole facilities at Ekumfi Egyankwaa in the Ekumfi District of the Central Region, the Public Relations Manager of GOIL PLC, Robert Kyere, explained that the company is committed to supporting life-changing projects such as the provision of water to deprived communities.
He indicated that the projects are in alignment with the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) mandate of providing clean water and improving sanitation for deprived and under-served communities.
He entreated the beneficiary communities to maintain the facilities to ensure a long lifespan.
The immediate Past President of the Soroptimist Club of Accra, Karen Korsah Amartefio, noted that the NGO remains committed to spearheading social development in communities, including advocating for human rights and offering opportunities.
School children beaming with smiles and excitement as water flows through the tap at their school for the first time by the kind courtesy of GOIL PLC.
She noted that as a responsible organisation, the Club was thrilled to partner with GOIL to offer support to the three communities and will continue on that path to help improve the living conditions of rural communities.
Speaking at the ceremony, the District Chief Executive for Ekumfi, Ebenezer Kwesi Monney, expressed appreciation to GOIL and Soroptimist Ghana for the construction of the boreholes in the communities, indicating the projects would positively impact the lives of the people and particularly improve sanitation delivery in the beneficiary communities.
In agreement, the Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Education Service (GES) in the Ekumfi District, Samuel Baffoe Aikins (Nana Odeasempa III), thanked GOIL and Soroptimists Ghana for the borehole facilities, describing the initiatives as life-changing.
Present at the ceremony were the Assemblyman of Egyankwaa Assembly Area, Eric Baidoo, the Headmaster of Egyankwaa Owuwa School, Ebenezer Ampiah, the Chairman of Egyankwaa School Management Committee, Samuel Egyir, PTA Chairman, Samuel Eyiah, Executives from Soroptimist Club of Accra, some GOIL staff and members of the community.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Hydrogen offers promising potential, yet challenges related to transportation and storage must be addressed.
Similarly, geothermal energy, which employs drilling techniques akin to those in oil and gas, remains underexplored in West Africa—an issue I left our energy commission to ponder on.
I also questioned why hydropower is often overlooked in renewable energy discussions and emphasized the need to develop smart grid infrastructure to minimize transmission losses as we expand solar and other renewable investments.
Contrary to fears that the energy transition will eliminate jobs, I argued that it will transform them.
I advocated for our educational curriculum to be revamped to equip students with the hands-on skills required for the evolving energy sector.
The example of petroleum engineers in the Middle East being retrained to install solar panels is a case in point.
It is disheartening to see our brightest engineers leaving the continent. Adapting our curricula to include emerging technologies like AI is crucial.
I also punctuated the need for robust investment in research and development, particularly in renewable energy, and called for governments to intentionally support businesses that are building technologies in Africa, reducing dependency on imports.
Finally, I accentuated the importance of creating favourable policies that encourage the growth of startups and the development of skilled professionals.
I was honoured to contribute to this critical discourse with other key industry professionals. My immense gratitude to African Centre for Energy Policy for creating a platform for key discussions such as these to take place.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com 
