Meeting on sustainable energy development opens

Twenty-six energy experts from 15 countries in sub-Saharan Africa on Monday began a five-day meeting in Accra to discuss ways of developing long-term strategic planning of energy systems.

The meeting, which is the first under an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) project, seeks to provide a forum for policy makers, researchers, energy experts, top business executives and other stakeholders to identify priority needs common to member states to improve their national capacities for managing energy sector development.

Speaking to the GNA, Professor Andrews Addae, National Project Co-ordinator, said the participants would look at the choice of energy sources such as fossil fuels - made up of (coal, oil and natural gas,) biomass - (firewood, charcoal,) renewable - made up of (hydropower, wind power and solar) and nuclear energy sources.

The overall goal of the project is to improve national capacities for long term strategic planning of the energy system in the region.

Professor Addae said the key factor of the project is for member states to look at their need vis-?-vis available resources and to match the two. Cost effectiveness would also be looked at. He explained that most African countries are over dependent on hydro and wood or fuel for energy supply but this has failed most of them in one way or the other.

The IAEA would, therefore, support member states to explore all energy sources in order not to be over dependent on one source.

Prof. Addae said the implementation of the project including the exploration of the use of nuclear power would be spread over four years.

High on the agenda is the environmental impact of any energy option derived from the discussions.

Participating countries would exchange experience on national efforts to support sustainable energy development and discuss project implementation approach, plans and modalities.

They would also discuss the delivery of agency's input in support of planned national and regional activities and ascertain governments' commitment to the project.

Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister of Energy, who opened the meeting, said government supports the project but at present, nuclear energy does not appear a likely candidate for electric power expansion in Sub-Saharan Africa.

He said the advantages of nuclear power are enormous and that a change in the situation might occur with the future commercial deployment of advanced, safety-designed nuclear power plants of small and medium-sized types.

"Mr Kan-Dapaah said findings of research by the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), the Energy Research Group and three international bodies including the IAEA show that the average growth rate of electricity demand is higher than total energy consumption and gross domestic product worldwide.

Presently, developing countries constitute 70 per cent of the total world population but their share in global energy and electricity consumption is only 25 per cent.

The Minister said generally, countries with high GDP have higher levels of energy and electricity consumption but developing countries on the other hand have lower consumption levels, but higher electricity growth rates.

"As these countries strive to develop, the per capita energy demand will also increase in the years ahead. These developing countries are, however, among the poorest in the world and less capable in competing in a high-demand global energy market," he added.

The per capita gross national product of these states is less than 500 dollars as against a typical industrialised country like the USA, which has a per capita income of 20,000 dollars.

The Minister said the provision of affordable energy services would pave the way for improved living conditions and contribute to the national growth beyond subsistence levels.

He emphasised the need for most sub-Saharan African countries to improve their capacity for managing energy sector development in order to foster continued economic development.

All energy options impact on the environment, consequently, supply strategies should also give some attention to minimising the adverse impacts of power generation on human health and the environment, he cautioned.

Professor J. H. Amuasi, Executive Secretary of the GAEC, said continued economic growth and rapidly increasing population would lead to considerable increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

"Consequently, African countries would in the near future be making a number of strategic decisions throughout the development process that would significantly affect emission and one example is the choice of energy supply such as coal, gas, nuclear or renewable.

"Still, current attention of many countries in the region focuses on immediate supply problems with less attention given to alternative medium and long-term energy options which could result in significant cost savings, fewer health and environmental impact as well as increased regional co-operation," Prof. Amuasi said.

He noted that in view of the limited capacities in the development of sustainable energy requirements to support development agenda, a regional approach to energy supply seems to be the most prudent choice.

"I am also of the view that, although nuclear power is currently an unlikely candidate for electricity systems expansion in most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, this situation could change with the future commercial deployment of small reactors.

"It is for this reason that we of the GAEC share the view that countries in the region such as Ghana are considering a possible expanded role of nuclear power to analyse the nuclear option in the context of regional supply," Prof. Amuasi added.

Professor Dominic Fobih, Minister of Environment expressed regret about the problem of environmental degradation associated with high consumption of energy.

"This is because an examination of the main energy sources indicates that most of the energy used contribute substantially to environmental pollution, especially the production of the greenhouse gases which affect our climate.

"The need, therefore, is for the use of energy in an economically efficient and environmentally sound manner," he said.

He said Ghana has joined the global community in addressing problems associated with unsustainable use of energy by encouraging energy efficiency and energy conservation, promoting fuel substitution, particularly the use of less polluting fuels like liquefied petroleum gas. In the long run, these measures would assist Ghana in meeting her obligations as a party to the United Nations' framework convention on climate change, the Minister added.

He expressed the hope that the global community would adopt the various instruments for the implementation of the convention this year, saying, "this should open the door to us to obtain the resources we need to promote the development of this sector of the economy."