Nuclear Power Will Be Needed For Cleaner Energy- Bill GatesThe Innovation Fund builds on AECF’s Renewable Energy and Adaptation to Climate Technologies (REACT) initiative, which was launched to support the private sector develop and expand its clean energy technologies to Africa’s rural communities. The Fund will invest in technologies that meet market needs as well as accelerating the development of existing solutions to better serve African communities and not technologies in the prototype stage. Chief Executive Officer of AECF, Victoria Sabula, said: “The Innovation Fund is key to enhancing large scale transformation within local communities. Investing in affordable and accessible renewable energy solutions can create jobs, grow economies, and build more sustainable livelihoods. Through the fund, we hope to unearth new ways that renewable technology – be it domestic, communal, or commercial – can be used to generate income and create jobs,” she said. The deadline for the applications is 29th April 2021.
AECF Launches US$1.2 Million Innovation Fund To Unearth Emerging Technologies
The African Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) has launched a US$1.2 million Innovation Fund to unlock the potential of renewable energy to create new business opportunities.
Businesses and entrepreneurs in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe can apply for funding.
The fund is aimed at strengthening market readiness of emerging innovations, as well as secures financial, technical, and networking support for taking existing proven prototypes to scale.
Solutions that reduce the negative impacts associated with the use of traditional cooking options at the household and institutional levels, build climate change resilience among communities and support productive uses such as water pumping, agro-processing, cooling, and refrigeration services are examples that the Fund seeks to support.
In applying, businesses and entrepreneurs will need to demonstrate how their proposed innovations will transform livelihoods of low-income households through creation of jobs and diversification of livelihoods.
Under the Sustainable Development Goals, the world has set an ambitious target of ensuring universal access to reliable and sustainable energy by the end of the decade. But with half of the African continent without access to electricity, and two-thirds lacking access to clean cooking solutions, additional investment is needed to drive innovation and accelerate the uptake of modern energy.
Saudi Forces Strike Yemen In Response To Attack On Aramco
Saudi-led coalition forces conducted airstrikes against Houthi military bases in Yemen’s capital Sanaa, Bloomberg reported, citing local residents and a Houthi-controlled TV channel.
The attacks, according to the report, targeted military camps and Houthi facilities near the Sanaa airport and the suburbs of the city. They came in response to a Houthi drone attack on Saudi oil facilities that took place on Friday. According to Saudi media, the attack did not cause any damage.
This is just the latest in a series of airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis, after the Yemeni rebel group, which is affiliated with Iran, struck a Saudi oil target earlier this month.
“The missile forces managed to strike [a facility] of the Saudi Aramco company in Jeddah with a Quds 2 cruise missile. The strike was precise,” a spokesman for the Houthis said in early March. The Saudi side later confirmed the attack but said it had inflicted no significant damage.
At the time, the Houthis warned there will be more attacks against Saudi targets and advised foreign companies and Saudi Arabia residents to be cautious.
The Saudi response came soon enough in a series of airstrikes, with 32 carried out on March 9 alone, Zerohedge reported at the time.
Saudi Arabia and the Houthis have been locked in a conflict since 2015. Many see it as a proxy war between the Saudis and the Iranian backers of the Yemeni rebel group, which overthrew the Saudi-affiliated Yemeni government and tried to assume power over the country.
Oil facilities in Saudi Arabia are a favorite target for the Houthis because of the Kingdom’s reliance on oil revenues.
The most notable attack that the Yemeni rebel group claimed responsibility for was the September 2019 attacks on Saudi Aramco’s oil facilities that cut off 5 percent of daily global supply for weeks, sending oil prices soaring.
Saudi Arabia and the United States have said that it was Iran—and not the Houthis—who was responsible for the attack.
Source:Oilprice.com
Ghana: Carpenter, 3 Others Electrocuted
Four men have been reportedly electrocuted at Anwomaso Bebre near Ejisu in the Ashanti Region in the Republic of Ghana.
The victims, a carpenter, a father and his son and one other were said to have raised a scaffolding pole to begin work on a three-storey building at about 5:30pm on Sunday when part of the metal accidentally touched power lines leading to the electrocution, according to reports.
They were, however, confirmed dead at the scene.
Ghana: Man, 45, Electrocuted In TemaThe Assembly Member for the Anwomaso Electoral Area, Frank Frimpong confirmed the incident to media and said, “I was told the four men were working when they were electrocuted in the process. When I got there, it was true. “I then called fire officers, the ECG officials and I also informed the Domeabra Police Commander who sent his men to the scene. “They were able to put off the power and the community people also assisted and we conveyed the bodies to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital morgue. So it is true that it happened. We are yet to identify the victims,” Mr. Frimpong recounted. The bodies had since been deposited at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital for preservation, the Assemblyman indicated. Source:www.energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Upstream Petroleum Chamber Declare Support For New Energy Minister
Oil exploration companies operating in the Republic of Ghana have indicated their willingness to support government through a collaborative process by bringing industry and government together to address pertinent issues affecting the sector.
The exploration companies, under its umbrella body, Ghana Upstream Petroleum Chamber expressed its readiness to support the new energy Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, when the group, led by its Chief Executive Officer Mr. David Ampofo, led a three-man delegation to pay a courtesy call on the Minister at the Ministry on Monday to formally welcome him to the sector.
Giving the background to the chamber, Mr. Ampofo explained that it had arisen out of a collaboration between companies involved in exploration and production activities in the petroleum upstream sector.
However, two years ago this collaboration was formalized to set up the chamber, primarily to focus on advocacy regarding the upstream sector and build the relationship between the industry and other stakeholders.
The chamber is made up of Eni, Tullow, Kosmos, Anadarko, Vitol, Modec,Aker Energy, ExxonMobil, Heritage, AGM, Subsea 7 and Cirrus Oil Services Limited.
It’s Time to Rethink Licensing Rounds: For Africa’s Oil- and Gas-Producing Countries, Negotiating the Current Environment May Require…Negotiation (Opinion)Mr Ampofo emphasized that it was important to bring Ghanaian service companies on board and that the chamber was actively working to bring them into the chamber in order to make it more representative of the industry. Mr. Ampofo indicated further that it was the chamber’s aim to improve the collaboration between the industry and government through the Minister and assured Dr. Prempeh of the chamber’s support. Thanking the delegation for the visit, the Minister stressed that in undertaking their admirable role, it was important for the chamber to be mindful of the important balancing act between the interests of the industry, which comprises international oil companies (IOCs) operating in Ghana and that of the government and people of Ghana. He indicated his strong support for the idea of local content as the most viable way in which Ghanaian businesses can get to play a meaningful role in the energy sector.
Ghana: Gov’t Settles Almost 90% Of Ameri Power Debt
The Government of Ghana has settled almost 90 percent of the total cost of the 250 Megawatts Ameri power plant procured from UAE-based Africa & Middle East Resources Investment Group, energynewsafrica.com can report.
The Ameri power plant was procured in 2015 by the previous administration when the West African nation was experiencing erratic power supply due to shortfall in electricity generation.
The plant cost US$510 million and it was to be managed by it owners for a period of five years and transferred to the Government of Ghana under Build Own Operate and Transfer (BOOT) agreement.
The Ameri deal was one of the numbers of power deals signed under the past administration which generated public anger with the then opposition New Patriotic Party accusing that administration of ripping off the nation.
Speaking to energynewsafrica.com, a source at the country’s Ministry of Energy disclosed that a little over US$447 million out of the total figure of US$ $510 million has been paid, representing about 87 percent as at November 2020.
“Government is paying and as we speak, we have written to the Finance Ministry to pay three months of the remaining debt which was deferred to be paid later,” the source said.
Ghana: Nuclear Power Plant Is Needed For Reliable Electricity-Energynewsafrica.com Managing EditorPer a document sighted by energynewsafrica.com which details the payment plan, Ameri has indicated its willingness to waive over US$2 million of the cost if government settles the remaining amount on time. The source told energynewsafrica.com that Ameri power plant has been shutdown because the five years period was due in January this year. According to the source, an independent engineer has been appointed and is currently assessing the condition of the plant after which the plant would be transferred to the Government of Ghana. The source said the Government of Ghana would bear half of the cost of the assessment while owners of the power plant would bear the remaining cost. The Government of Ghana has hinted of plans to relocate the Ameri plant from its current location in Aboadze to Kumasi in the Ashanti Region in a bid to stabilise the country’s national grid. Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
Without Flexibility, Nigeria Will Face Difficulties Integrating Large Amounts Of Renewable Energy Into The Grid (Opinion)
By Yusuff Wale
As the largest economy in Africa, with huge gas reserves and high solar energy potential, Nigeria has all the natural resources necessary to meet the growing demand for electricity. However, the inadequate energy infrastructure still leaves a significant part of the population without power or relying on oil-fired back-up generators. If Nigeria can improve its energy infrastructure and unlock its gas-to-power generation potential, it paves the way to integrating low-cost renewable energy, bringing electricity and development opportunities to rural villages, driving industrial growth and employment, and increasing prosperity across the country.
There is no doubt that gas has an important role to play in meeting Nigeria’s electricity demand, but to achieve this, there is an urgent need to reform the gas and electricity sectors. The poor condition of the gas transmission and distribution system is a major constraint as domestic supply shortages and insufficient pressure severely affect the reliability of the power supply. Poor planning has resulted in stranded generation assets and transmission bottlenecks. Inadequate maintenance of an aging and inefficient infrastructure means that peak generation is well below its full potential. Without structural reforms and integrated energy planning, the ability to meet the growing electricity demand is challenging.
However, advanced power system modelling, which helps to identify the lowest total cost energy solution while considering system constraints, shows that Nigeria is indeed in a position to achieve its ambitious targets by 2030. By developing a balanced thermal portfolio combining baseload gas and flexible gas power generation, the power system will be capable of integrating a high level of renewables and operating efficiently. But significant flexibility needs to be built into the power grid, to make it capable of responding to daily variations in demand and withstanding the intermittent nature of renewables.
Not All Gas Fired Power Plants Are The Same
Even if from a pure cost perspective, reciprocating gas engine and combined cycle gas turbine technologies offer comparable results, gas engine technology adapts faster to balance the intermittency and unpredictability that characterise addition of renewables into the power generation mix and thus facilitate their growth and integration into the system. In addition to being robust and versatile to manage the current generation and transmission side disturbances in an efficient manner, there are three important advantages that ICE technology offers for the future; the first is flexibility, the ability to quickly adjust load in response to supply fluctuations from renewables; the second is modularity, gas engine plants can be sized to requirements, for a city, for manufacturing industries, or for local micro-grids; and the third is low water consumption, which is an important consideration in view of Nigeria’s long dry seasons.
To maintain a balanced system, flexible forms of electricity must be available to ramp up output at the same rate that wind or solar output fluctuates. Systems need to respond across different timeframes, from seconds, to minutes. This is not the case for conventional power plants based on combined cycle gas turbine technology which can take several hours to reach operation at full capacity. Even if gas turbines can provide some level of flexibility by being run at partial load, this mode of operation is inefficient, driving up costs and carbon emissions.
On the other hand, flexible gas engine power plants are the perfect ally of renewable energies. Made up of multiple engines which can be fired-up instantaneously, these plants offer a large range in power supply availability which complements renewable energy without sacrificing efficiency. If a sudden rainstorm, for example, cuts the supply of solar energy and drives up electricity demand as lights are switched on, a number of internal combustion engines can be turned on within minutes to supply the required electric demand. They can be turned off just as quickly when the storm passes.
Expert studies conducted around the world show that flexible power plants based on internal combustion engine technology can unlock the full potential of renewable energy assets in the fleet, generating annual cost savings above 5%, reducing CO2 emissions, as well as reducing overall water consumption. Indeed, flexible power plants consume nearly 50% less water than similarly sized combined cycle gas turbine plants and 75% to 85% less water than a coal or nuclear plant with cooling towers. In a context of global warming and hydric stress, water consumption is a parameter that cannot be ignored.
For the country to successfully integrate the planned addition of ~3,5 GW of Hydro and ~5.2 GW of solar projects into the grid by 3030 and increase access to affordable and reliable electricity, a balanced power generation mix will be required. Gas is abundant, affordable, and offers a clear solution to meet the growing power demand in Nigeria. But most important is the need for long-term integrated energy planning. By deploying an integrated energy strategy with a focus on flexibility, Nigeria has what it takes to achieve a successful energy transition. Without it, Nigeria’s power sector will most likely remain inefficient and unreliable.
Yusuff Wale is the Managing Director, Wartsila Marine & Power Services Nigeria Ltd. Wartsila is a global leader in smart technologies and complete lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. He is a seasoned professional in Management, Sales, Marketing and Business Development in the Nigerian Oil and Gas and Power Industry. He started his career as a process engineer in one of the Nigerian Petroleum Oil Refineries. Over the years, he has been actively involved in large transactions of Turbo-Machineries into major FPSO projects in Nigeria as well as Internal combustion engines for both Industrial and Captive Independent Power Plants. He has presented technical papers at both local and international Oil, Gas and Power Conferences. He holds a MSc. and Bachelor of Engineering degrees in Chemical Engineering from the prestigious University of Lagos and Federal University of Technology, Minna, respectively and a miniMBA in Innovation, Growth & Digital Execution techniques for building category king companies, from the Tekedia Institute. He has attended many trainings both in Nigeria and abroad. He is a corporate member, Nigeria Society of Engineers (MNSE).
New Report Shows Cities Across Africa Demonstrate Progressive Leadership To Deploy Renewables
The 2021 edition of REN21’s Renewables in Cities Global Status Report, has shown that one billion people live in cities with a renewable energy target or policy.
The number of cities that have enforced partial or complete bans on fossil fuels jumped fivefold in 2020. With a special focus on Sub-Saharan Africa, the report shows that despite many challenges, city governments across the region have taken important steps to advance the deployment of renewables.
Africa’s urban population increased more than 16-fold between 1950 and 2018, from 33 million to 548 million, and this rapid urban growth has been and remains a key driver of rising energy demand. Cities across Sub-Saharan Africa increasingly recognise the opportunities around renewable energy use to improve energy access, reduce energy poverty as well as boosting the resilience and reliability of existing power systems.
City governments play a key role in shaping the energy landscape. At least 19 cities, including Cape Town (South Africa) and Kampala (Uganda) have renewable energy targets in place, and 34 cities have policies. Many cities in the region have joined global clean energy initiatives. For example, signatories to the Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA)[1] have voluntarily committed to implementing climate and energy actions in their communities. The Climate Action Planning Africa Programme, led by C40 Cities, brings together 11 megacities in Sub-Saharan Africa that have pledged to become net-zero carbon by 2050.
Locally Driven Ambitions Have Led To Positive Outcomes
The report highlights the achievements of five very different and representative cities: Cape Town (South Africa), Dakar (Senegal), Kampala (Uganda), Tsévié (Togo) and Youndé IV (Cameroon).
The City of Cape Town has been a pioneer in providing more affordable and secure energy access and in reducing the city’s carbon footprint. In 2017, the City entered into a court challenge with the national government to enable it to purchase electricity from independent power producers (IPPs) and not be confined to procuring coal-fired power from Eskom. By 2019, Cape Town had the highest concentration of registered rooftop solar PV systems nationwide.
Dakar is home to 50% of Senegal’s urban population. Under the C40 Cities Leadership Programme, Dakar is committed to be net-zero carbon by 2050. The City’s transport plan articulates three ambitious infrastructure projects –train, bus and on-road transport – with a common goal of increasing the share of electrification and reducing fossil fuel dependence across these three transport modes while also reducing air pollution by 2030.
Kampala’s energy demand is dominated by the transport sector with inefficient transport modes driving up the city’s congestion. The SMART mobility program has enabled successful public-private partnerships, which in 2020 resulted in the use of more than 200 new and retrofitted electric motorcycles for public transport. The rise of electric mobility in Kampala is a strong example of how such relationships can be leveraged to advance the renewable energy agenda at a city level.
Tsévié has implemented a three-year municipal energy programme to boost local energy access and development. Under this flagship programme, the municipality aims to achieve its sustainability ambitions in four strategic areas: 1) sustainable biomass use, 2) deployment of distributed rooftop solar PV, 3) increased adoption of electric motorcycles and 4) a modal shift to public transport.
The city of Yaoundé IV rolled out a pilot project in 2019 to switch households from using LPG to biogas, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The success of the project has paved the way for similar programmes, notably ENERGIE PLUS, which seeks to build an industrial scale biogas plant to supply electricity to Yaoundé IV and its environs.
Low-Cost Renewable Energy Can Be A Key Lever To Power Economic Growth
In addition to providing Sub-Saharan African cities with greater access to modern energy services, renewables also offer important co-benefits such as reducing air pollution, mitigating climate change, creating more liveable urban areas and enabling a better quality of life through increased access to basic services. However, municipal governments in the region face numerous barriers to the deployment of renewables. Key challenges include policy and regulation, underdeveloped grids and infrastructure, unstable off-taker arrangements, access to financial markets, data needs and technical capacity.
Although city authorities in Sub-Saharan Africa may have limited influence over infrastructure and services, they can all take action to encourage local renewable energy deployment. Developing low-carbon pathways requires multiple collaborations across a broad range of stakeholders, including national policy makers. As the five case studies illustrate, progressive leadership has produced positive outcomes for renewable energy deployment.
Source: www.energynewsafica.com
Gasoline Demand May Never Fully Recover-IEA
Global gasoline may have peaked, thanks to fuel efficiency gains and the growing popularity of electric vehicles, the International Energy Agency said in a new report, noting that these trends offset growth in mobility in emerging economies.
The report, which looks at the next five years, also suggests peak oil demand may be near, thanks to stronger government policies—if they materialize—in favor of renewable energy, and behavioral changes.
“The Covid-19 crisis caused a historic decline in global oil demand – but not necessarily a lasting one,” IEA’s chief, Fatih Birol, said.
“Achieving an orderly transition away from oil is essential to meet climate goals, but it will require major policy changes from governments as well as accelerated behavioural changes. Without that, global oil demand is set to increase every year between now and 2026.”
In the absence of stronger energy policies, the IEA projects global oil demand growth of some 10 million bpd by 2026, half of which would come from the Middle East from shut-in capacity. This would once again increase OPEC’s clout on international markets at the expense of U.S. shale drillers, who need higher oil prices before they return to production growth.
Some of the additional supply of oil that will be needed will have to come from new production capacity, however.
According to the IEA, this new production capacity is around 5 million bpd.
There is no rush, however, because right now, amid the pandemic, there is some 9 million bpd in spare oil production capacity, the agency noted.
Even with demand for oil on the rise, however, no part of the industry will remain untouched by the energy transition, Birol said.
“No oil and gas company will be unaffected by clean energy transitions, so every part of the industry needs to consider how to respond as momentum builds behind the world’s drive for net-zero emissions,” he said, noting things like carbon capture and methane emission reduction among the biggest issues facing the fossil fuel industry.
Source: Oilprice.com
Ghana: GRIDCo Undertakes Exercise To Stabilise Power Supply In Volta Region
Ghana’s power transmission company, Ghana Grid Company, has stepped up efforts in strengthening its transmission line in the country, especially in the Volta Region, to ensure stability of power supply in the region.
Currently, GRIDCo is undertaking works on the 22T2 Power Transformer radiators at the Asiekpe Bulk Supply Point.
The Director for Southern Network Services, Daniel Amartey visited the site at Asiekpe on Friday to inspect the ongoing work.
Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
“This project will bring supply stability to parts of the Volta Region,” GRIDCo said in a tweet on Friday. GRIDCo on Thursday requested ECG to interrupt power supply in the Volta Region from March 18 to 21, to enable them undertake repair works on their transformer that supplies power to both Volta and Oti Regions.Our Southern Network Services Director, Daniel Amartey, made a quick dash to the Asiekpe substation this morning to inspect ongoing works on the 22T2 Power transformer radiators. This project will bring power supply stability to parts of the Volta Region. pic.twitter.com/ErC9v147Y9
— Ghana Grid Company (@GhGridCo) March 19, 2021
Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Women Must Challenge Themselves To Advance- Patience Akyianu
The award-winning Group Chief Executive Officer of Hollard Ghana, Mrs. Patience Akyianu has said that the greatest barrier to women leadership is the mind as she challenged women to rise above demotivating perceptions such as gender stereotypes.
“Women have so much to bring to the table. Our greatest barrier to leadership is the mind. Let’s push above the unconscious bias and be intentional in dealing with the consequences of it,” she advised.
Mrs. Akyianu was speaking at the commemoration of International Women’s Day by Vivo Energy Ghana, the marketers and distributors of Shell branded products and services at a virtual ceremony in Accra.
Speaking on the theme, “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world”, Mrs. Akyianu said conversations on gender equality should focus on how women can flourish under any circumstance.
According to her, gender equality is achievable when individuals change their perceptions and #ChooseToChallenge the status quo.”
Achieving an equal future in a covid-19 world would require women to invest and acquire skills that will position them competitively, be tech-savvy, visionary, ready to sacrifice their comfort zones and be strategic leaders.
“When you flawlessly execute, gender does not matter”, says Mrs. Akyianu.
The Managing Director of Vivo Energy Ghana, Mr. Ben Hassan Ouattara re-echoed his call for more women in leadership roles. He said women are transformational leaders who are able to turnaround challenging situations and should be encouraged to aspire to the top.
He acknowledged that there may be challenges hindering the growth of some women into leadership positions. However, women must challenge perceptions that demotivate them from aspiring to the top.
“I encourage them to stay confident and trust in their capabilities”, adding that “failure is part of success; when you fail, you learn and grow,” he said.
International Women’s Day is celebrated in many countries around the world. It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. Since its inception, International Women’s Day has assumed a new global dimension for women in developed and developing countries with support from industry, governments, educational institutions, community groups, professional associations, women’s networks, charities, non-profit bodies and the media.
Senegal Set To Take Delivery Of FSRU In Mid-May
Senegal is set to take delivery of its First Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) in the middle of May this year.
The FSRU is a Joint Venture (JV) KARMOL between Karpowership and Mitsui OSK Lines.
Karpowership which currently operates a 235MW capacity power ship that supplies about 15% of the country’s electricity needs also plans to switch its power ships to Liquified Natural Gas (LNG).
The move to switch to LNG will enable Karpowership to operate a cleaner and sustainable source of energy in the country.
National Oil Companies Slash Exploration Budgets As Low Price BitesSpeaking on the development, KARMOL Board Member Gokhan Kocak said, “This is a big moment for West Africa and the wider continent, and an exciting time for KARMOL”. “Usage of FSRUs means we can unlock the benefits of clean and affordable electricity for millions of people, even where countries have no domestic gas production or infrastructure” he added. The FSRU will set sail for the West African country in early April and on arrival, KARMOL plans to begin operations before the end of June. Source:www.energynewafrica.com
Nigeria: Angry Customer Stabs Ikeja Electric Staff
A staff of Ikeja Electric Plc, one of the distribution companies in the Republic of Nigeria, Popoola Olakunle, has been stabbed in the head in the course of carrying out his duties.
The incident occurred at the Oladeroun area of New Oko-Oba in the Fagba area of Lagos State.
The culprit, Saheed Olanrewaju aka Usama, a resident of 12, Abiodun Street, Iju-Ishaga in Fagba was subsequently apprehended on Tuesday, 16th March, 2021, with the assistance of the Traditional Ruler’s team and handed over to the Oko-Oko police station for immediate prosecution.
The management of Ikeja Electric has condemned the incident in a statement by the Head of Corporate Communications, Ikeja Electric, Felix Ofulue.
“Ikeja Electric will continue to condemn these attacks on its employees in strong terms,” he said. Ofulue pleaded with its customers to desist from attacking the staff of Ikeja electric.
“While we understand that sentiments regarding utility services can be quite emotive, we maintain that wanton attacks on our staff are completely irrational, irresponsible and unproductive, especially where Ikeja Electric has provided multiple channels through which our customers can lodge formal complaints with respect to our service” he added.
The suspect, Saheed Olanrewaju, who is currently in police custody, is expected to be arraigned in Court today.
Source:www.energynewsafrica.com
Liberia: Electricity Key Component Of Weah’s Pro-Poor Agenda
The Liberian Minister of Mines and Energy, Gester E. Murray has, emphasised the importance of the electricity sector in the Pro-poor agenda of President George Weah.
He made this known during the licensing ceremony recently held at the Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission (LERC) offices.
“As many of you may be aware that under the leadership of this government, Dr. Weah has mainstreamed electricity into his flagship program, which is the Pro-poor Agenda for peace and development,” Murray said.
He added that President Weah is doing everything in his power to ensure an improvement in the electricity sector.
The Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) Governor J. Aloysius Tarlue, who spoke at the event, pledged the Bank’s support in achieving a transformation of the sector to the benefit of Liberians in general.
The House of Representatives Chair of the Committee on energy and carbon, Vincent Willie, who attended the event, thanked the LERC and Liberia Electricity Corporation for their continuous efforts to improve the country’s electricity supply.
Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
China’s $6.4 Trillion Energy Transition To Transform Economy
China’s transition from the biggest polluter in the world to the leading force in renewable energy generation will completely transform its economy, a new report by Wood Mackenzie says.
Calling the upcoming changes tectonic, Wood Mac analysts noted the transition will require investments of $6.4 trillion in new power generation capacity alone over the next few decades, and said that while some of this will be spent on nuclear capacity, the bulk of investments would go towards boosting China’s solar and wind capacity, and the respective energy storage.
India Has The Opportunity To Build A New Energy FutureThe economic powerhouse that is China today was built on crude oil and metals, the Wood Mac report says, but this has made the country excessively dependent on energy imports. At the current rate of oil imports, China will come to depend on foreign oil for as much as 80 percent of its needs by 2030. Half of the gas it consumes will be imported. It is to avoid this that China is so determined to decarbonizes, according to the report: “For Beijing, energy independence and decarbonisation are inseparable: by winning the clean-energy race, China can cast off the shackles of its reliance on others and dominate the resources and technologies the world needs to decarbonise,” the authors noted. The transformation from a fossil fuel-dependent economy into an electricity-dependent one will not be without challenges. Chief among these would be securing enough raw materials to expand the national transmission network to accommodate the 6,870 GW of new capacity that the country will require to satisfy its growing energy needs over the next forty years. This would likely create another dependency, according to Wood Mac. While oil imports will eventually decline, copper imports are likely to jump significantly as the metal is essential for wind turbines, not to mention transmission lines and wiring. To date, China only produces 16 percent of the copper it uses domestically, with the rest coming from imports. Source: Oilprice.com