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Africa needs context-relevant evidence to shape its clean energy future

Author

Listed:
  • Yacob Mulugetta

    (University College London)

  • Youba Sokona

    (Groupe de Reflection et d’Initiatives Novatrices)

  • Philipp A. Trotter

    (University of Wuppertal
    University of Oxford)

  • Samuel Fankhauser

    (University of Oxford)

  • Jessica Omukuti

    (University of Oxford)

  • Lucas Somavilla Croxatto

    (University College London
    University of Oxford)

  • Bjarne Steffen

    (ETH Zurich)

  • Meron Tesfamichael

    (University College London)

  • Edo Abraham

    (Delft University of Technology)

  • Jean-Paul Adam

    (United Nations Economic Commission for Africa)

  • Lawrence Agbemabiese

    (University of Delaware)

  • Churchill Agutu

    (ETH Zurich
    Kigali Collaborative Research Centre)

  • Mekalia Paulos Aklilu

    (United Nations Economic Commission for Africa)

  • Olakunle Alao

    (University of Cape Town)

  • Bothwell Batidzirai

    (African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), Midrand)

  • Getachew Bekele

    (Addis Ababa Institute of Technology)

  • Anteneh G. Dagnachew

    (PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency
    Utrecht University)

  • Ogunlade Davidson

    (University of Sierra Leone)

  • Fatima Denton

    (United Nations University–Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (UNU–INRA))

  • E. Ogheneruona Diemuodeke

    (University of Port Harcourt)

  • Florian Egli

    (ETH Zurich
    University College London)

  • Gebrekidan Gebresilassie Eshetu

    (RWTH Aachen University)

  • Mulualem Gebreslassie

    (Center of Energy, Ethiopian Institute of Technology, Mekelle University)

  • Mamadou Goundiam

    (University Grenoble Alpes)

  • Haruna Kachalla Gujba

    (GIZ — Africa–EU Energy Partnership (AEEP))

  • Yohannes Hailu

    (United Nations Economic Commission for Africa)

  • Adam D. Hawkes

    (Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London)

  • Stephanie Hirmer

    (University of Oxford)

  • Helen Hoka

    (Strathmore University)

  • Mark Howells

    (Loughborough University)

  • Abdulrasheed Isah

    (ETH Zurich)

  • Daniel Kammen

    (University of California
    Senior Advisor for Energy and Innovation, US Agency for International Development (USAID))

  • Francis Kemausuor

    (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology)

  • Ismail Khennas
  • Wikus Kruger

    (University of Cape Town)

  • Ifeoma Malo

    (Clean Technology Hub—Energy Innovation Center)

  • Linus Mofor

    (United Nations Economic Commission for Africa)

  • Minette Nago

    (Georg-August-University Göttingen)

  • Destenie Nock

    (Carnegie Mellon University
    Carnegie Mellon University)

  • Chukwumerije Okereke

    (Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike)

  • S. Nadia Ouedraogo

    (United Nations Economic Commission for Africa)

  • Benedict Probst

    (ETH Zurich
    University of Cambridge)

  • Maria Schmidt

    (RWTH Aachen University)

  • Tobias S. Schmidt

    (ETH Zurich
    ETH Zurich)

  • Carlos Shenga

    (Centre for Research on Governance and Development (CPGD))

  • Mohamed Sokona

    (African Development Bank)

  • Jan Christoph Steckel

    (Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change
    Brandenburg University of Cottbus-Senftenberg)

  • Sebastian Sterl

    (International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
    Vrije Universiteit Brussel)

  • Bernard Tembo

    (Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis Research (ZIPAR))

  • Julia Tomei

    (University College London)

  • Peter Twesigye

    (University of Cape Town)

  • Jim Watson

    (University College London)

  • Harald Winkler

    (University of Cape Town)

  • Abdulmutalib Yussuff

    (University College London)

Abstract

Aligning development and climate goals means Africa’s energy systems will be based on clean energy technologies in the long term, but pathways to get there are uncertain and variable across countries. Although current debates about natural gas and renewables in Africa are heated, they largely ignore the substantial context specificity of the starting points, development objectives and uncertainties of each African country’s energy system trajectory. Here we—an interdisciplinary and majority African group of authors—highlight that each country faces a distinct solution space and set of uncertainties for using renewables or fossil fuels to meet its development objectives. For example, Ethiopia is headed for an accelerated green-growth pathway, but Mozambique is at a crossroads of natural gas expansion with implicit large-scale technological, economic, financial and social risks and uncertainties. We provide geopolitical, policy, finance and research recommendations to create firm country-specific evidence to identify adequate energy system pathways for development and to enable their implementation.

Suggested Citation

  • Yacob Mulugetta & Youba Sokona & Philipp A. Trotter & Samuel Fankhauser & Jessica Omukuti & Lucas Somavilla Croxatto & Bjarne Steffen & Meron Tesfamichael & Edo Abraham & Jean-Paul Adam & Lawrence Agb, 2022. "Africa needs context-relevant evidence to shape its clean energy future," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 7(11), pages 1015-1022, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natene:v:7:y:2022:i:11:d:10.1038_s41560-022-01152-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41560-022-01152-0
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Nicole D. Miranda & Jesus Lizana & Sarah N. Sparrow & Miriam Zachau-Walker & Peter A. G. Watson & David C. H. Wallom & Radhika Khosla & Malcolm McCulloch, 2023. "Change in cooling degree days with global mean temperature rise increasing from 1.5 °C to 2.0 °C," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 6(11), pages 1326-1330, November.
    2. Florian Egli & Churchill Agutu & Bjarne Steffen & Tobias S. Schmidt, 2023. "The cost of electrifying all households in 40 Sub-Saharan African countries by 2030," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Ngo, Vu Minh & Nguyen, Phuc Van & Hoang, Yen Hai, 2024. "The impacts of geopolitical risks on gold, oil and financial reserve management," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    4. Hamish Beath & Shivika Mittal & Sheridan Few & Benedict Winchester & Philip Sandwell & Christos N. Markides & Jenny Nelson & Ajay Gambhir, 2024. "Carbon pricing and system reliability impacts on pathways to universal electricity access in Africa," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.
    5. Vivien Foster & Philipp A. Trotter & Sven Werner & Melin Niedermayer & Yacob Mulugetta & Ploy Achakulwisut & Aoife Brophy & Navroz K. Dubash & Sam Fankhauser & Adam Hawkes & Stephanie Hirmer & Stuart , 2024. "Development transitions for fossil fuel-producing low and lower–middle income countries in a carbon-constrained world," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 9(3), pages 242-250, March.
    6. Blimpo, Moussa P. & Dato, Prudence & Mukhaya, Brian & Odarno, Lily, 2024. "Climate change and economic development in Africa: A systematic review of energy transition modeling research," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    7. Akpan, Anthony E. & Ben, Ubong C. & Ekwok, Stephen E. & Okolie, Chukwuma J. & Epuh, Emeka E. & Julzarika, Atriyon & Othman, Abdullah & Eldosouky, Ahmed M., 2024. "Technical and performance assessments of wind turbines in low wind speed areas using numerical, metaheuristic and remote sensing procedures," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 357(C).
    8. Müller, Leander A. & Leonard, Alycia & Trotter, Philipp A. & Hirmer, Stephanie, 2023. "Green hydrogen production and use in low- and middle-income countries: A least-cost geospatial modelling approach applied to Kenya," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 343(C).

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