Delegates at the Africa Energy Indaba conference have called for speedy implementations of the inputs made by roleplayers in the past three days.
Energy experts have urged governments to explore all avenues in bringing solutions to the energy crisis. They say government must look at proposals with a bird-eye view to ensure that certain views are not sidelined.
About 600 million odd Africans are without electricity and energy experts and ministers that took part in the three-day Africa Energy Indaba have appealed for more corporation among African countries in bringing solutions to the Energy Crisis.
The 2023 Africa Energy Indaba back is back in its full physical interactions at a time when African countries like South Africa are inundated with different voices purporting to address the energy crisis.
Most believe the South African government should be able to cut through the nose and decide what’s best.
“You need a sweet of interventions and some of them you’ve started before and you’ve got to intensify,” says Kande Yumkella, Siera Leone delegate.
The countries engaged in thematic session are calling for the revival of the African economy that has been bleeding due to energy instability.
Man’arai Ndovorwi from Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority, says, Zimbabwe has vast resources for renewable energy that could be tapped into.
“I just want to encourage investors to come into Zimbabwe and partner with (us) in terms of energy project development. We do have vast resources in terms of renewables, solar, wind and small hydro projects that can be developed in Zimbabwe. We do have almost about 2000 megawatts in licenses projects that are waiting for partnership to develop and commissioned, and we are not only looking at Zimbabwe as the only market for this energy, but because of the centrality of Zimbabwe, we are also looking at the export market because we are already interconnect with the Southern African pump, “says Ndovorwi.
South Africa has a new minister of electricity. Delegates are hopeful that this will see the country finally getting it right in doing away with the rolling blackouts.
The delegates say solutions are there and have stressed that funding those solutions will be crucial.
“I think the reason why we find the financing difficult is because of the risks perceived of investing in Africa is seen as too high and what we have to work on is reducing that risk in order to draw in the finance. Because I think the finance is available on a global scale, but at the moment, it doesn’t come to us because of a variety of reasons. We are not making it attractive for foreign investors to put their money here,” says Dave Wright, SA Energy Association.
It’s back to the drawing board for the about eight countries that took part in the 2023 Africa Energy Indaba. Many have backed the use of coal alongside other cleaner alternative energy.
VIDEO: The Africa Energy Indaba draws to a close:
