Despite having 620 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves, Africa continues to rely excessively on wood-based biomass energy, which increases deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and the number of people without access to clean cooking on the continent (900 million). The natural gas resources on the continent, however, offer Africa the chance to address environmental destruction, ensure clean cooking for its population, while also ensuring energy security and economic growth.
The World Health Organization has linked millions of deaths in rural Africa to indoor emissions caused by the continued and increased use of biomass, which is used for cooking in over 81 percent of households in sub-Saharan Africa. In this regard, nations like Nigeria, Malawi, the Ivory Coast, Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, where the use of biomass is especially high due to a lack of reliable electricity access, could increase the exploitation of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to ensure clean cooking for the populace while also enhancing energy access.
Expanding the gas market on the continent will aid in accelerating electrification while easing pressure on the national grid, as more than 600 million people in Africa experience energy poverty, leading to an increase in the use of wood-based biomass to meet daily energy needs.
With the recent government approval of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy’s LPG Rollout Strategy, South Africa has made a major advance in this area. This strategy aims to use LPG to diversify the country’s energy mix for reasons of energy security, affordability, and decarbonization. The continuous reliance on biomass derived from wood poses a challenge to increasing energy availability in Africa, which aspires to achieve universal access to energy. The moment for Africa to invest more in its gas market is now, as the United Nations Environment Programme projects that by 2050, more than 65 percent of the population in sub-Saharan Africa will still use wood fuel for cooking.
Furthermore, the continent’s industrialization and economic progress are constrained by its reliance on biomass. Because biomass is an insufficient source of energy to power industry, Africa must prioritise the growth and expansion of its gas market to power its industries, while also enhancing energy access and promoting climate stewardship.
As the voice of the African energy sector, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) is a strong proponent of expanding gas investment and development throughout Africa. This is due to the resource’s role in enhancing energy access and security while facilitating the reduction of emissions and deforestation.
“With the increased use of natural gas, the African continent is well positioned to achieve energy independence, security and decarbonization targets at the same time reducing emissions and the destruction of our forests. Africa needs to come up with new ways to fund and fast-track the exploitation of its gas resources to achieve this. Not only will gas help reduce emissions but also provides African governments with much-needed GDP to fund the growth of the overall economy,” stated NJ Ayuk, the Executive Chairman of the AEC.
The topic of gas’s role in Africa’s energy future will be covered during African Energy Week (AEW) 2022, which will be held in Cape Town from October 18–21, 2022. AEW is Africa’s premier oil and gas industry event. AEW 2022 will hold panel discussions and high-level meetings under the theme, Exploring and Investing in Africa’s Energy Future while Driving an Enabling Environment, to talk about how Africa can increase investments across its gas value chain to ensure energy security while addressing unsustainable energy practices.
About AEW:
The AEC’s annual conference, exhibition, and networking event is called AEW 2022. In order to advance industry growth and development and advertise Africa as a potential location for energy investments, AEW 2022 brings together African energy stakeholders with investors and international partners. Important organisations like the African Petroleum Producers Organization and African powerhouses like Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria have partnered with AEW, enhancing the significance of the event for Africa’s future energy needs.