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Moorooven believes that as these sources of technology come to
the fore, Africa will find itself urgently in need of storage capacity
for this energy. With this in mind, the continent has already seen
the introduction of innovation hubs, greater levels of investment,
the growth of public-private partnerships, and high-level academic
institutions taking up the challenge to ensure that the next generation
is well versed in not only understanding the rising problems, but is
also able to help stunt and reverse any unsustainable trends.
“Just as mobile phones have transformed the continent, Africa is now
on the brink of a technological leap in its mode of energy supply,”
says Moorooven. “Digitalisation in the energy sector allows utilities
to maintain grid stability and reliability, monitor the grid and more
effectively identify failures, reducing operations and maintenance
costs and extending the lifespan of crucial assets.”
Moorooven believes that all of the aforementioned activities
are crucial stepping stones on the path to tackling Africa’s
energy infrastructure deficit and he suggests that those
countries that encourage foreign investment will be the true
beneficiaries, profiting from accelerated development and
greater opportunities.
He explains, “To attract more private investment, an efficient and
effective framework will be necessary. Many African governments
have taken the initiative to implement legal and institutional policies
www.plumbingafrica.co.za
to strengthen their national energy sector, but if these aren’t fully
operational in the near future, countries will miss out.
“Projects will need to be more bankable in the sense that more risk
is taken by one side and more commitment by the other; the public
and private sector will need to work closely together.”
The majority of investment is expected to come in the form of
renewable energy projects, owing to both the high potential for such
in the region and the stress that is being placed on ensuring the
continent’s carbon neutrality is significantly improved.
Africa is a continent seen to be particularly vulnerable to climate
change, largely due to the increasing prospects of drought. A two per
cent rise in temperatures could lead to a 10% drop in crop yields,
according to the Brookings Institute — a statistic that could have
drastic consequences for the African population.
In this sense, renewables, combined with other low-emission
resources such as gas-fired power, are expected to provide a
cost-efficient, environmentally friendly, and reliable energy supply
moving forward.
“Compared to current sources which still include coal, heavy fuel
oil, and diesel-fired plants, this combination offers a cheaper and
‘greener’ alternative,” adds Moorooven. PA
May 2019 Volume 25 I Number 3