Energy

US$4bn in capital investments is required between now and 2030 to reach universal access to clean cooking in sub-Saharan Africa. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

The International Energy Agency (IEA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) hosted the first ever high-level summit on providing clean cooking access in Africa

Co-chaired by Tanzanian and Norwegian government leaders, AfDB and the IEA, close to 60 countries alongside numerous companies and development institutions were represented at the Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa which took place in Paris.

Together, participants sought to take on the challenge that more than two billion people are affected by a lack of access to clean cooking, with more than half living in Africa. Here, cooking is typically conducted over open fires and basic stoves, making use of charcoal, wood, agricultural waste and animal dung as fuel. This can lead to harmful toxic fumes and smoke being inhaled – representing the second leading cause of premature death on the continent – and limits opportunities for education, employment and independence due to the time spent gathering fuel which is also detrimental to the environment.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania, commented, “Ensuring clean cooking access for all in Africa needs adequate, affordable, and sustainable financing for appropriate solutions and innovations; adequate global attention; and smart policies and partnerships. Successfully advancing the clean cooking agenda in Africa would contribute towards protecting the environment, climate, health, and ensuring gender equality. This Summit underscores our commitment to advancing this agenda and providing a framework towards universal adoption of clean cooking fuels and technologies across the continent.”

According to the IEA, the tools for enabling clean cooking access are readily available and affordable but progress in many African countries has lagged compared to other regions. It was against this backdrop that more than 1,000 delegates attended the Summit, to mark a turning point on an issue overlooked for too long. In Paris, approximately US$2.2bn was mobilised for this cause in financial pledges from both governments and the private sector.

Solving the clean cooking challenge

“This Summit has delivered an emphatic commitment to an issue that has been ignored by too many people, for too long,” remarked IEA executive director Fatih Birol. “We still have a long way to go, but the outcome of this Summit, US$2.2bn committed, can help support fundamental rights such as health, gender equality and education while also reducing emissions and restoring forests. And the commitments announced today go beyond the money alone – they set out concrete steps on how governments, institutions and the private sector can work together to solve the clean cooking challenge this decade. Going forwards, we will rigorously track the commitments announced today to make sure they’re met on time and in full – and continue to do our utmost to bring greater resources and attention to this critical issue.”

AfDB President Akinwumi A. Adesina, added, “At the African Development Bank, we are delighted to play a leading role alongside the International Energy Agency (IEA), Tanzania and Norway, to definitively tackle lack of access to clean cooking, that affects a billion people in Africa. In concert with countries, we will increase our financing for clean cooking to US$200mn annually over the next decade, while also scaling-up the provision of blended finance for clean cooking through the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA).”

Following the summit, the IEA has indicated that it will employ a ‘double-lock system’ to ensure that momentum behind clean cooking does not slow in the coming months and years. This will include using effective methods to ensure that pledges and commitments are fulfilled, tracking them carefully to make sure the money is spent in a timely manner and reaches those in need. In addition, the IEA will continue to play a convening role to engage more willing partners and generate new funds to help meet the US$4bn a year in capital investments required between now and 2030.

Prioritising clean cooking has been identified as a priority for the IEA in 2024. Find out more at: https://africanreview.com/energy/iea-prioritises-clean-cooking-access-in-africa

The agreement was witnessed by Prime Minister of Egypt, HE Moustafa Madbouly and HE Mohamed Shaker, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy of Egypt. (Image source: Infinity Power)

Infinity Power, Hassan Alam Utilities and Masdar, have signed a land access agreement with the Egyptian Government to mark another step towards the construction of a 10GW onshore wind farm

The project is expected to be one of the largest in the world and will make use of a 3,025 sq km area of land acquired by the consortium in the agreement. Necessary development studies to progress the project will now be conducted on the land which is located in West Suhag, including resource measurement campaigns, geotechnical and topographic surveys, as well as environmental studies to ensure minimal environmental impact.

Once conducted, eyes will then turn to beginning construction of the US$10bn project in a process that is expected to deliver significant benefits to local communities.

Amr Allam, Co-CEO of Hassan Allam Holding, commented, "In a significant move towards a more sustainable future for Egypt, the signing of the land access agreement for the 10GW wind farm project alongside our esteemed partners, Infinity Power and Masdar, marks a pivotal moment. This initiative underscores our commitment to clean energy and environmental responsibility, and we are proud to be part of this transformative project that will have a positive impact on our nation's energy landscape and beyond."

The agreement was signed by Mohamed Ismail Mansour, chairman of Infinity Power; Karim Hefzy, chief operating officer at Hassan Allam Utilities; and Mohamed Asaad Taher, senior manager, business development and investment at Masdar. It was witnessed by the Prime Minister of Egypt, HE Moustafa Madbouly and HE Mohamed Shaker, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy of Egypt.

"We are excited to be moving to the next step of the development of our 10GW wind farm in Egypt and cannot wait to see it progress,” said Mansour. “Not only will this project deliver substantial benefits during construction and operation, creating jobs for local people and investing in their local communities, the impact of the energy uplift will be amazing to see. This source of clean, affordable energy will save Egypt money, reduce emissions and power industry across the country.”

The initial project agreement to develop the 10GW wind farm was signed between the Consortium and the Egyptian Electricity Transmission company on the sidelines of the UN climate change conference, COP27. When delivered, it is expected to cut around 9% of the country’s annual carbon emissions and will produce 47,790GWh of clean energy per year. It will represent a significant step forward in the country’s objective of sourcing 42% of its energy from renewables by 2030 whule saving an estimated US$50bn in natural gas costs per year.

The break to load shedding has been a welcome relief for South African businesses. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Continued suspension of load shedding is raising hopes that South Africa could be over the worst of its energy troubles which have plagued the country over the last few years

On 12 May, Eskom posted an optimistic update celebrating the “notable and consistent improvements in generation performance that have enabled the continued suspension of load shedding, which has not been implemented for 46 days.”

This streak, it continued, can be attributed to the planned maintenance during the summer period and the implementation of the Generation Operational Recovery Plan which commenced in March 2023. In improving generation performance, Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor (UCLF) has reduced from 11,036MW to 10,474MW week-on-week, a performance better than the winter forecast this year which expected unplanned outages to range from 14,000MW to 15,500MW.

The statement also outlined that there has been no increased usage in the Open-Cycle Gas Turbines (OCGTs) this week, and a total of 1,520MW of generating capacity is planned to be returned to service soon.

A positive outlook from the President

President Cyril Ramaphosa, added his own jubilant voice here in newsletter published on 13 May. In the correspondence, the President stated “It is too early to say that load shedding has been brought to an end. However, the sustained improvement in the performance of Eskom’s power stations – as well as the new generation capacity we have added to our energy system – gives us hope that the end of load shedding is in sight.

“A renewed focus by Eskom on maintenance and the return to service of several units is now showing results. Losses due to unplanned outages have reduced by 9% between April 2023 and March 2024, adding the equivalent of 4,400MW of capacity to our national grid. Better maintained and more reliable power stations have increased the country’s Energy Availability Factor (EAF), which is the amount of electricity available from our power stations at any given time. The EAF has been above 60% since April, compared to 53% over the same period last year.”

While the risk of load shedding will likely remain in the background for the foreseeable future, these announcements come as a positive step for a country that has been living in the shadow of an energy crisis which has stifled economic prospects and business potential for years. Certainly, announcements such as the onset of Africa’s largest battery energy storage system and new renewable providers entering the market will help the country in its efforts to return to energy stability.

The project was initially awarded to AMEA Power through an international tender programme that was launched by Tunisia’s Ministry of Industry and SMEs. (Image source: AMEA Power)

AMEA Power, a renewable energy company based in the Middle East, has broken ground on the Kairouan Solar PV project in Tunisia, marking yet another development celebrated by the company on the continent

The latest announcement follows notable announcements including the agreement to develop a 25MW solar PV project in Djibouti; breaking ground on a solar power plant in Togo; and signing a concession agreement and 25 PPA for a 50MW solar project in Côte d'Ivoire.

The latest release from AMEA Power regards the official groundbreaking of the 120MW Kairouan Solar PV project which is being implemented by Kairouan Solar Plant, a project company registered in Tunisia and fully-owned by AMEA Power. The ceremony – which follows the financial close of the project last year – was attended by Fatma Thabet Chiboub, Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy of Tunsia; Eman Ahmed Al Salami, UAE Ambassador to Tunisia; Faiçal Tarifa, director general of STEG; and Hussain Al Nowais, Chairman of AMEA Power.

Meeting Tunisia's renewables need

“This is a significant milestone for AMEA Power, as we officially announce the groundbreaking for the country’s first privately-financed solar project, paving the way for a greener Tunisia,” Al Nowais remarked. “By taking advantage of its renewable energy resources, and its strategic location between North Africa and Europe, Tunisia can become a prime location for green energy and trade. This groundbreaking project is a beacon for future renewable energy projects in the country, supporting the government’s goal of achieving 35% of renewable energy in its energy mix by 2030.”

The US$86mn project is being financed by the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group, and the African Development Bank. It will be built under a Build-Own-Operate model and is the first project under the concession regime to reach financial close.

Once commissioned – expected in Q4 2025 – it will be AMEA Power’s first operational asset in Tunisia and is expected to power more than 43,000 households while offsetting 117,000 tonnes of carbon emissions over the project’s life. It will also support the country’s efforts to reduce its dependence on oil and gas imports.