An energy transition is underway in the SADC region, as exemplified by our ambitious Renewable Energy (RE) and Energy Efficiency (EE) Strategy and Action Plan (REEESAP). Lines are shifting for many reasons: an insufficient and uneven access to modern energy services, with an average of 42% overall and 10% in rural areas, an ongoing energy deficit since 2007, a pressing need to mitigate climate and an increased awareness of our huge potential for RE and EE development. The region is blessed with abundant renewable energy resources and energy efficiency opportunities. Renewables already account for
23.5% of power generation in the SADC region and this figure could rise to 60% under favourable policy scenarios, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). This potential is challenging our traditional way of converting and utilising energy, characterized by a heavy dependence on fossil fuels and traditional biomass. It’s an opportunity to rethink our development pathway: we can rapidly expand renewable energy in the overall energy mix, while also increasing levels of energy efficiency in key
sectors. It offers the fastest, cleanest, reliable and economical way to improve energy access and security and meet our fast-growing energy needs.
The regional market potential is also very promising for new industries, new businesses and new jobs. This will contribute to the SADC’s Industrialization Strategy and Roadmap (2015-2063) and accelerate economic growth, poverty alleviation and regional integration, which are the pillars of the SADC Agenda stipulated in the SADC Treaty and the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP 2015-2020). By doing so, we will also align with the UN Sustainable Energy for All Initiative1 (SE4All) launched in 2012, and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDGs 7 (“Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all”). Long neglected, sustainable energy is now a top priority on the international agenda, with a great number of initiatives and funding. This is not the only good news. The average costs for electricity generated by solar power and wind are coming down significantly to be competitive with conventional sources, and there are, even already in our region, proven sustainable business models in RE and EE.
Evidence shows that despite the region’s heterogeneity, several common barriers can benefit from a regional approach. Based on an extensive consultation with national and regional actors, the REEESAP is just the start of a long process. A set of actions is proposed as a roadmap for the 15 SADC Member States. After a technical validation, expected at this workshop, it will
be submitted for adoption at the next SADC Energy Ministers’ meeting, in June 2017. The latter will then kick-start national processes to accelerate energy transitions in the region, including development of national renewable energy and energy efficiency action plans.
Over the past month, a strong momentum has been built up. It needs to be sustained. We should definitely “think as a region”, take advantage of our vast resources and complementarities, and “act nationally according to Member States strengths”.
Mr Remigious Makumbe
SADC Director of Infrastructure and Services
Faced with an impressive average of 5% GDP growth rate recorded over the last ten years, an important increase of its population (2%) and a rapid urbanization (6%), the Southern African Development Community Region is growing fast, and so are its energy needs. Its economic growth has already outpaced the development of its energy services of 3% average annual growth over the same period. And according to IRENA (2013)1, “over the next 25 years, electricity demand will triple in Southern Africa”.
The lack of access to modern energy services and the ongoing energy deficit are holding back SADC’s industrialization agenda, as new investments in energy intensive industries, such as mining and manufacturing, need consistent supply of costeffective energy. If the region’s energy demand grows at a similar level to that of the GDP growth, the power shortfall will not be bridged by the year 2020 as predicted, unless new sustainable energy systems are introduced into the energy mix. Other energy challenges like the heavy dependence on traditional biomass and fossil fuels need also to be addressed to protect the environment, mitigate and adapt to climate change.
Fortunately, the region possesses a wealth of renewable energy (RE) sources and energy efficiency (EE) opportunities. Combined, they offer the cheapest way of investment into additional capacity to meet the ever increasing energy demand, improve energy access and security, lessen the region’s carbon footprint and significantly improve its socio-economic development.
Often considered as “the first fuel”, energy efficiency is one of the most cost-effective ways to ensure energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The SADC Region has vast opportunities for energy savings, through more efficient technologies, fuel switching, and change of habits and processes.
The moment is also right for a rapid scale-up of renewable energy. Since 2000, RE capacity has been steadily growing up in the region and new policy concepts, such as Feed-in tariffs (FIT) or auctioning of power supply from Independent Power Producers (IPPs) have led to an increase in renewable energy investments. Large-scale, renewable energy systems based on hydropower, modern clean biomass, geothermal, wind or solar energy can diversify energy supply, reduce energy imports and protect environment. At the same time, providing smallerscale renewable energy in a decentralized manner, is emerging as a cost-effective, faster and reliable approach to meet the energy needs of rural communities that are not connected to conventional power grids.
Off-grid (rooftop solar photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, small-scale hydropower, biogas plants…) and mini-grid solutions will also generate local employment for deployment and maintenance.
With declining costs and technological improvements in electricity storage and control systems, the SADC region can thus leapfrog into a sustainable energy future, just as mobile phones recently leapfrogged landlines.
Asked by the 34th Meeting of SADC Energy Ministers (2015) to map out a “Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Strategy and Action Plan” for the region until 2030, the SADC Directorate of Infrastructure and Services (I&S) has launched in April 2016 a broad consultative process with the support of the EU Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) for the “Sustainable Energy for All”
Initiative (SE4ALL) – Eastern and Southern Africa.
Through field visits across the region and two workshops, this open process of collaborative thinking and decision-making has been crucial to sharpen the analysis, provide the most up-to-date and comprehensive overview of the renewable energy and energy efficiency situation (setting up an economic and
energy sector database), opportunities and challenges in the region, and prioritize regional strategic interventions. Aligned with other regional and global initiatives and objectives like the SE4ALL, the REEESAP intends to tap the abundant energy resources, diversify the energy mix, develop the sustainable energy market and spur investments, by creating conducive environments, setting ambitious regional and national targets and proposing means to achieve them.
REEESAP has been developed as a regional framework from which SADC MS will develop their own RE/EE Strategies and Action Plans to intensify the promotion of RE and EE, in order to achieve energy security, increase availability, accessibility and affordability of modern energy services, offset the risk associated with energy imports, mobilize financial resources for investment for both RE/EE projects and manufacturing of RE/EE equipment in the region ( thus contributing to boost industrialization), and engage MS and the whole region in low carbon development paths and climate resilient energy systems.
By setting renewable energy and energy efficiency targets, formulating dedicated policies to implement them and driving liberalisation and harmonisation of the regulatory frameworks, the REEESAP shows Members States’ political commitment to sustainable energy, which is crucial because these are long term investments. It creates stable, predictable and conducive investment environments. The SADC also brings a real added value as a pooler of resources, a catalyst and lever for funds, a capacity builder and a platform for exchanging information, experiences and best practices. It is a suitable organization to create common and larger markets allowing economies of scale, large-scale investments, regional manufacturing of the RE equipment that would bring about improved energy services, reduced costs and more benefits to SADC population. It is also well positioned to establish regional and international partnerships, avoid duplications and create synergies. This is all the more important because challenges are very complex, multi country, cross-sectoral and cross-cutting, like the water-energy-food nexus, climate change and gender, and they can be addressed more efficiently through a regional approach.
SACREEE TO SPEARHEAD ENERGY TRANSITION
The SADC has shown its commitment to sustainable energy, by creating a dedicated agency for RE/EE, the SADC Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (SACREEE). Based in Windhoek, Namibia, and expected to be launched in early-2017, the SACREEE will implement the REEESAP, harmonize and coordinate efforts with other initiatives, and turn the vision and targets into concrete action and reality. It will do so by working in close collaboration with the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) on grid RE/EE projects, the Regional Electricity Regulators Association of Southern Africa (RERA) on regulatory frameworks, and with the National Focal Institutions- which will be nominated by MS Ministries/ Departments of Energy- on off-grid systems and cooking/heating/cooling programmes.
It will act as:
• an overseer of the development of National Action Plans (NAPs), contributing to make them fit for funding and ensuring harmonization, where necessary;
• a regional RE&EE promotion agency to develop thriving markets;
• a knowledge hub, to inform key stakeholders about existing resources, projects, solutions, technologies, accredited service providers for RE and EE installation and maintenance, finance and training opportunities in the region.
ABOUT SADC AND THE EU TAF FOR THE SE4ALL INITIATIVE
“Secure energy , empower lives , brighten the future” Southern African Development Community (SADC)
Created in 1980, the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC) became the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in 1992, an intergovernmental organization with headquarters in Gaborone, Botswana.
SADC is comprising 15 Member Countries (Angola, Botswana, Congo (DR), Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe) and 292 million people. One of the oldest regional economic communities on the African continent, SADC’s main purpose is to advance socio-economic cooperation and integration, and foster political cooperation and security among its southern African Member States. Access to clean sustainable energy has become recently part of its development agenda, reflecting the important role that energy plays in the delivery of basic services and in generating jobs and incomes.
More info: www.sadc.int
EU Technical Assistance Facility for the “Sustainable Energy for All” Initiative
The EU has launched a Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) to assist Regional Economic communities (RECs) and partner countries in fine tuning their energy policies and regulatory frameworks to allow for increased investments and reach the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) objectives to which they have committed. The Facility goes beyond creating enabling and conducive policies and regulatory frameworks. It focuses also on capacity building, as a prerequisite for a sustainable implementation of such policies and regulations. It also assists in prioritising and preparing infrastructure projects and in mobilizing funds and partnerships to harness the existing energy potential in Africa. Finally, in order to ensure a coherent and effective know-how exchange between the stakeholders, the Facility also supports the establishment of regional networks gathering local and international professionals, at regional as well as country level, across the various technologies and sectors.
More info: www.ec.europa.eu.
For more information or interviews, please contact:
Caroline Barth, in charge of media relations for the SADC Validation Workshop on SADC Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Strategy and Action Plan
Cette adresse email est protégée contre les robots des spammeurs, vous devez activer Javascript pour la voir.
or
SADC Public Relations Unit
Cette adresse email est protégée contre les robots des spammeurs, vous devez activer Javascript pour la voir.
Ramambazafy Jeannot's file for SADC - 7 October 2016