While activists outside sought to disrupt the proceedings at Africa Energy Week (AEW) in Cape Town on Tuesday, 5 November 2024, at least part of their message was shared by high-level representatives of the South African government.
“Africa’s potential for renewable energy is unmatched globally. The continent is rich in diverse renewable resources, each offering a path toward sustainable growth that is less dependent on fossil fuels and more aligned with global climate commitments,” said Minister of Energy and Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa in a prepared keynote speech.
He said renewable energy could catalyze industrialization and economic growth on the continent “if coupled with the right policies” such as the “beneficiation of critical minerals essential for both the renewable and hi-tech industries globally”.
It was a noticeable but moderate shift in tone from the South African executive, which has in years past chosen to use the AEW stage to highlight the shortcomings of renewable energy technologies, highlight the perceived need to develop the continent’s planet-warming hydrocarbon resources and call for greater regulation over activists much like the ones assembled outside the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) on Tuesday.
Demonstration for renewables
In a press release issued on Tuesday, Greenpeace Africa revealed more about its protest action.
“Twelve activists blocked the CTICC entrance, where AEW is being held, until being evacuated by security. The blockage used banners and remains of tragic extreme weather events, fuelled by emissions of international oil and gas companies, such as the catastrophic tornado in Tongaat, Durban, to create a powerful visual representation of the destruction caused by Big Oil.
“This included twisted metal, shattered wood, and other remnants of climate-induced devastation, making it impossible for attendees to ignore the damages that
climatologists attribute to emissions by the oil and gas industry.”
Sherelee Odayar, Greenpeace Africa’s oil and gas campaigner, told Daily Maverick, “We were at Africa Energy Week to challenge false solutions and demand real investment in Africa’s renewable energy future. The urgency of the climate crisis demands bold action.
“Africa Energy Week promotes fossil fuel expansion that threatens our continent’s future. We brought debris from the devastating tornado that hit Durban earlier this year to tell the oil companies to pay up for loss and damage that they have caused because they continue to drill for oil and gas which worsens the climate crisis and causes devastating effects on communities.”
Ramokgopa, not far from the protest inside the CTICC, signalled with his keynote speech that his vision of attaining energy security and sovereignty in South Africa through a mix of energy technologies – including fossil fuels such as natural gas – would nevertheless centre renewable energy technologies as crucial on the road to energy transformation.
He stressed that the conversation about attaining energy security should not pit one generation of technology or fuel source against another.
“With vast stretches of land bathed in sunlight year-round, Africa has some of the highest solar irradiation levels in the world, especially across regions in the Sahara and sub-Saharan Africa. Solar energy has the potential to power communities, businesses and industrial zones, especially in off-grid and rural areas,” said the minister to a crowd largely composed of players in the oil and gas sectors.
Wind and hydropower potential
He also noted Africa’s significant wind potential: “From the coastal winds of Egypt to the strong inland gusts in Kenya and Ethiopia, Africa’s wind corridors hold immense potential for generating clean electricity. Expanding wind energy capacity offers not only a path to sustainability, but also an opportunity for job creation in turbine manufacturing and maintenance.”
While less relevant to South Africa, Ramokgopa acknowledged hydropower’s promise for other regions, saying there was “significant untapped potential, especially in countries with major rivers such as the Congo, Nile, and Zambezi. Hydropower projects, when sustainably managed, can provide baseload power to support industrialisation and rural electrification, helping reduce energy costs for industries.”
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Among the key findings of the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Africa Energy Outlook report of 2022 is that Africa has an estimated solar capacity potential of around 10 terawatts (TW). This accounts for about 60% of the best solar resources globally, yet the continent has harnessed only about 1% of this potential in terms of installed solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity.
Similarly, the International Renewable Energy Agency’s (Irena) 2020 Africa Impact Report said there exists the “technical potential” on the continent for 3,834GW of wind and 15,334GW of solar PV.
The IEA's most recent Energy Technology Perspectives report gives credence to the minister’s claims that renewable energy could be a catalyst for industrialisation and economic growth on the continent. It notes that the significant expected growth in energy demand, coupled with global efforts to diversify clean energy supply chains away from concentration in a few major markets, presents a unique opportunity for Africa.
The minister also outlined some of the government’s key goals for its G20 presidency next year.
“In leading the G20, South Africa will focus on strategic interventions to address Africa’s unique energy needs and support a resilient, inclusive future. African interconnectivity and developing an energy pool are essential to advancing the African agenda under South Africa’s G20 presidency.
“Strengthening cross-border energy infrastructure and enhancing regional cooperation will promote efficient energy sharing, reduce reliance on fossil fuels and support the integration of renewable energy sources across the continent.”
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