Working Paper 349

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Working Paper 349

Overview of the Energy Sector in Africa

Stephen Karekezi, John Kimani and Ayago Wambile

Working Paper No.349

Overview

Africa's energy sector is broad and complex. A few sub-sectors were selected in this working paper to review the status and recent developments in the power, renewable energy and energy efficiency sub-sectors in the region.

The working paper is organized into 3 chapters. Chapter 1 provides an overview and the status of the power sector in Africa. Chapter 2 examines renewable energy technologies and their status in Africa. The chapter continues to discuss the potential benefits of renewable energy technologies in Africa. Chapter 3 describes the status of energy efficiency in Africa and the barriers faced in enhancing energy efficiency in the region. This chapter concludes by describing the efforts required in overcoming the barriers to energy efficiency.

Table of Contents

Overview	5
Unit aims:	5
Unit learning outcomes	5
Introduction	6
Chapter 1 Power Sector	7
1.1 Definition and key players in the power sector	7
1.2 Status of the power sector in Africa	7
1.2.1 Characteristics of the African power sector	7
1.2.2 Institutional structure of the African power sector	9
1.2.3 Installed capacity, electricity Consumption and Generation in Africa	10
1.3 Performance of the power sector in Africa	12
1.3.1. Technical performance	12
1.3.2 Financial performance	15
Chapter 2 Renewable Energy	17
2.1 What is Renewable Energy?	17
2.2 Status of Renewable Energy Technologies in Africa	17
2.2.1 Small hydro power	17
2.2.2 Solar energy	18
2.2.3 Wind energy	19
2.2.4 Small-scale biomass energy	21
2.2.5 Large-scale biomass energy (cogeneration)	22
2.2.6 Geothermal energy	24
2.3 Potential Benefits of Renewables to the African Energy Sector	25
2.3.1 Balance of payments	25
2.3.2 Poverty alleviation, job and enterprise creation	26
2.3.3 Independent technology development	27
2.3.4 Environment	27
2.3.5 Power deficits	28
Chapter 3 Energy Efficiency	29
3.1 What is energy efficiency?	29
3.2 Status of Energy Efficiency in Africa	29
3.3 Barriers to Energy Efficiency in Africa	31
3.3.1 Policy/Regulatory Barriers	32
3.3.2 Investment and Financing Barriers	33
3.3.3 Research, Technological and Skills Barriers	34
3.4 Overcoming the Barriers to Energy Efficiency in Africa	35
3.4.1 Renewable energy policy programmes	35
3.4.2 Appropriate technology, technology transfer and building local capacity	36
3.4.3 Innovative Financing Mechanisms	37
4.0 Conclusions	39
References	43
Web site resources	45
Glossary / Definition of key concepts	47

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