Electricity and Control December 2022

ENERGY MANAGEMENT + THE INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT

Increasing energy access across Africa

Technology groupWärtsilä flagged the climate change conference COP27, hosted by Egypt in November, as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to increase energy access and lay the foundations for decarbonisation across Africa. Just ahead of the conference the company released a new report titled Pathways for Africa’s Energy Future and emphasised that wealthy nations must deliver on their climate finance pledges to unlock the continent’s potential.

T he report presents the power system modelling done by Wärtsilä for three African countries, Nigeria, South Africa and Mozambique. It finds that they can leapfrog some developed nations by not embedding inflexible fossil fuel-based systems and, to enable such a significant transformation, will require a combination of climate finance, effective planning and system reforms. The report indicates that replacing coal with renewable energy combined with flexibility from engines and energy storage is the most effective way to reduce energy costs, increase energy access and improve reliability. The modelling shows that renewable energy and flexibility can generate enough energy to provide power for close to 100 million people in South Africa, Mozambique and Nigeria who currently do not have access to energy, if it were matched with the required grid infrastructure. These systems would require a total investment of around USD 119 billion over the next decade, which will not be possible unless wealthy nations deliver on the promise made in 2009 to provide USD 100 billion annually in climate finance from 2020. On the release of the report, Håkan Agnevall, President

and CEO of Wärtsilä Corporation said: “Despite contrib uting less than 3% of the world’s energy-related carbon emissions, African countries are among the hardest hit by climate change. COP27, hosted in Egypt, is the opportunity to deliver on global climate finance pledges so that, as a global community, we can seize this moment to act and unlock Africa’s renewable energy potential. That investment must be combined with effective planning and system re forms to increase energy access and create the renewable energy systems of the future.” Wärtsilä modelled power system decarbonisation pathways for Nigeria, South Africa and Mozambique, each with different starting points and facing differing challenges. Some key findings are outlined below. ƒ Nigeria can cut electricity costs by 74% on its path to net zero by 2060. Wärtsilä’s modelling shows that Nigeria can build a 100% renewable net zero power system by 2060, comprising around 1 200 GW of clean capacity, in line with its ’30‑30‑30’ and net zero targets as defined in the country’s Energy Transition Plan. The impact is significant, with the cost of electricity generation projected to drop by 74% by 2060

© Wärtsilä Corporation

Africa can leapfrog to a renewable and reliable energy future and increase energy access.

12 Electricity + Control DECEMBER 2022