3 Energy Transition in Africa: Context, Barriers and Strategies
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3.3.5 Technological Barriers
Central to domestic emission reductions is the deployment of clean
energy systems through the development of both technological and institutional innovation. The overall level of technology in Africa is low while
research and development are minimal owing to a combination of factors
including lack of capacity/knowledge, colossal research outlays and high
costs of investing in technology. For this reason, governments are not
only unable but also unwilling to invest or even to commit to investing
in technology development.
The UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol have explicit provisions on the
transfer of technologies to developing countries. The Paris Agreement
also enunciates the vision of wholly actualizing technology development
and transfer for GHG emissions reduction as well as enhancing climate
change resilience. These technologies are, however, only transferrable if
they have been developed, to begin with. Further, at the core of the
successful diffusion of technologies is the capacity of the developing
countries to absorb them, which capacity is presently lacking. There also
seems to be a lack of consensus on how Parties can and should undertake
the diffusion.
Despite the awareness in the climate negotiations of the need to
transfer technology to developing countries and despite developing countries undertaking technology needs assessments (TNAs) to ascertain
their mitigation and adaptation and developing technology action plans
(TAPs), for the realization of their technology needs, only moderate
headway has been made in this regard. It is thus evident that any energy
transition in African countries is more dependent on the actions of
Annex 1 countries than on the efforts of African countries.
3.3.6 Prohibitive Costs
Although clean energy systems are lauded as being cheaper than fossil
fuels since they have no fuel needs, they require much more capital
expenditure than fossil-fueled systems. For instance, the cost of putting
up an energy plant corresponds to the cost of putting up a fossil energy
91
3.3.5 Technological Barriers
Central to domestic emission reductions is the deployment of clean
energy systems through the development of both technological and institutional innovation. The overall level of technology in Africa is low while
research and development are minimal owing to a combination of factors
including lack of capacity/knowledge, colossal research outlays and high
costs of investing in technology. For this reason, governments are not
only unable but also unwilling to invest or even to commit to investing
in technology development.
The UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol have explicit provisions on the
transfer of technologies to developing countries. The Paris Agreement
also enunciates the vision of wholly actualizing technology development
and transfer for GHG emissions reduction as well as enhancing climate
change resilience. These technologies are, however, only transferrable if
they have been developed, to begin with. Further, at the core of the
successful diffusion of technologies is the capacity of the developing
countries to absorb them, which capacity is presently lacking. There also
seems to be a lack of consensus on how Parties can and should undertake
the diffusion.
Despite the awareness in the climate negotiations of the need to
transfer technology to developing countries and despite developing countries undertaking technology needs assessments (TNAs) to ascertain
their mitigation and adaptation and developing technology action plans
(TAPs), for the realization of their technology needs, only moderate
headway has been made in this regard. It is thus evident that any energy
transition in African countries is more dependent on the actions of
Annex 1 countries than on the efforts of African countries.
3.3.6 Prohibitive Costs
Although clean energy systems are lauded as being cheaper than fossil
fuels since they have no fuel needs, they require much more capital
expenditure than fossil-fueled systems. For instance, the cost of putting
up an energy plant corresponds to the cost of putting up a fossil energy