Moving Backward May Be The Way Forward For Sub-Saharan Energy Security
Photo via Reuters
ALESSIA COLUCCIO: In the face of the current climate crisis, developing nations must balance the pressure to transition to renewable energy sources with the need to provide affordable and stable energy to their population. Unfortunately for climate activists, the easiest way to overcome this is through the use of fossil fuels.
Residents of Sub-Saharan countries account for 80% of the world population without electricity, leading to a lower quality of life and slower economic development. To continue the efforts of the 2015 Paris Agreement, world leaders meet at the annual Conference of Parties, held by the United Nations Climate Change Conference, to pledge and discuss their individual and collective climate goals. The commitments made at COP28, held in December of 2023, include tripling the use of renewables, accelerating efforts to phase out coal power, and eliminating fossil fuel subsidies to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide.
Compared to other greenhouse gasses, CO2 has a longer atmospheric lifetime, increasing its relative contribution to global warming. China and the United States are the largest carbon emitters globally. Uncoincidentally, they also have the strongest economies—based on GDP—and complete electrification of their population. Because of this, they are in a position to undergo the substantial energy transition proposed in COP28. Many developing countries, however, are not as equipped in terms of energy security, standard of living, or financial facilities, yet they are expected to uphold the same commitments.
Nigeria has the largest population in Africa, totaling 200 million, but only 60% have access to electricity. Its national grid already fails to meet current demand, causing consistent blackouts and stunting economic growth. The International Monetary Fund estimates that Nigeria loses 5.8% of its Gross Domestic Product annually due to a lack of reliable power. Petroleum subsidies are in place to provide stable and affordable power via backup generators to those both on and off the grid. These generators are significantly more efficient, supplying eight times the amount of electricity produced at the grid’s peak capacity.
Coal is another primary energy source for Sub-Saharan nations. South Africa is the most coal-dependent nation in the world, accounting for 69% of its energy consumption. Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia are also heavy coal users, especially for powering their local economies. Their large domestic coal mines provide employment and generate national revenue.
In addition to the economic impacts, low levels of electrification also have serious health and wellness implications. In Africa, 1.1 million people die annually from household air pollution, making it the second leading cause of death after malnutrition. Particulate matter and other pollutants released when burning biomass and kerosene for cooking and heating inflame airways and impair immune responses. This issue is especially prevalent in countries that lack electrification. In Niger, 89% of the population uses biomass as their primary source of energy since only 18.6% of the country is electrified.
In the short term, the priority of these developing countries should be to provide stable and affordable electricity to the majority of their population, stimulating economic growth and creating a higher standard of living. Expanding the use of petroleum-powered generators will provide a temporary fix. They are more reliable, in many cases, than national power grids, and the technology for their installation is readily available. Government subsidies can also increase accessibility to those living in remote areas where petroleum prices are higher. Temporarily undermining climate progress is necessary for these nations to increase their capability to pursue renewable energy solutions in the future.
However, like all fossil fuels, petroleum generators have a high running cost. It is estimated that Nigeria, where 46% of all generators in Sub-Saharan Africa are located, spends $22 billion annually to fuel them. Over a long period, they are not economically or environmentally sustainable. Regardless, they are useful for increasing electrification in the interim while sustainable energy projects are underway.
One of the most popular long-term renewable energy solutions in the developing world is the installation of mini-solar grids, powering households and businesses separately from the national grid. To provide power to the 380 million people in Africa in need will require the construction of 160,000 mini-grids at a cumulative cost of $91 billion. However, this process is slow. At the current pace, only around 12,000 new mini-grids will be constructed by 2030.
While renewables are the future of energy security, their utilization in sub-Saharan Africa relies on present efforts to expand electrification, facilitating economic and social development.
Alessia Coluccio is a Staff Writer for On the Record from Brooklyn, New York. She is a sophomore in the College studying government with minors in Journalism and Science, Technology, and International Affairs.