- Energy generation to be doubled by 2030
- Fossil fuels predicted to lead the energy mix
- The study was carried out by Oxford University
The University of Oxford in a research published in Nature Energy has predicted that Africa will double its energy generation figures by 2030. Galina Alova, a researcher at the Oxford Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment says, “Africa’s electricity demand is set to increase significantly as the continent strives to industrialise and improve the wellbeing of its people, which offers an opportunity to power this economic development through renewables”.
According to Alova, the consensus amongst energy experts is the growth of renewable energy on the continent. Contrary to that opinion, the analysis of the continent says otherwise. The research predicts that two-thirds of the African energy mix will be sourced from fossil fuels. Also, an additional 18% will be from hydro projects. She says, “There is a prominent narrative in the energy planning community that the continent will be able to take advantage of its vast renewable energy resources and rapidly decreasing clean technology prices to leapfrog to renewables by 2030 – but our analysis shows that overall it is not currently positioned to do so”.
Philipp Trotter, study author says, “The development community and African decision-makers need to act quickly if the continent wants to avoid being locked into a carbon-intense energy future’.