3 Energy Transition in Africa: Context, Barriers and Strategies
93
change objectives. For instance, while Kenya has committed to attaining
100% green energy sufficiency by 2020, it continues to issue coal mining
licenses to investors.
80 The High Court of Kenya in June 2019 nevertheless revoked one of such licenses holding that the environmental impact
assessment (EIA) license issued by the National Environment Management Authority was generic and not specific to the coal project. The
judgment, however, only serves to delay the project’s development but
does not put an end to it.
Implementation of the law is also protracted. In South Africa, for
example, although the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2010 is a living
plan it is yet to be updated to provide insight as to the development
of the country’s energy mix and particularly the decision to install
additional capacity from renewable energy sources.
81
There is also usually a no distinct separation of roles and responsibilities of the different government agencies involved in climate change
mitigation as well as lack of institutional capacity to undertake their
responsibility.
3.3.8 Carbon Lock-In
Carbon lock-in refers to industrial economies that begin to be closed
into fossil fuel-based technological systems by a ‘path-dependent’ process
caused by technological, industrial and institutional increasing returns to
scale so much so that even though alternative sources of energy are more
economically viable, they are not embraced.
82
The current fossil fuel-based infrastructure, technologies and institutions in Africa will jointly restrict any energy transition due to the fact
that they have been tried and tested and found true. This compounded
by the colossal capital costs discussed earlier, the longevity of infrastructure and interdependence between governments, energy suppliers and
80 Ibid. (n 37).
81 Jackie Midlane, ‘Energy 2019| South Africa’ (Global Legal Insights), https://www.globallegali
nsights.com/practice-areas/energy-laws-and-regulations/south-africa, accessed 2 September 2019.
82 Pia Buschmann and Angela Oels, ‘The Overlooked Role Of Discourse in Breaking Carbon
Lock-In: The Case of the German Energy Transition’ (2019) Vol 10 WIRES Climate Change
93
change objectives. For instance, while Kenya has committed to attaining
100% green energy sufficiency by 2020, it continues to issue coal mining
licenses to investors.
80 The High Court of Kenya in June 2019 nevertheless revoked one of such licenses holding that the environmental impact
assessment (EIA) license issued by the National Environment Management Authority was generic and not specific to the coal project. The
judgment, however, only serves to delay the project’s development but
does not put an end to it.
Implementation of the law is also protracted. In South Africa, for
example, although the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2010 is a living
plan it is yet to be updated to provide insight as to the development
of the country’s energy mix and particularly the decision to install
additional capacity from renewable energy sources.
81
There is also usually a no distinct separation of roles and responsibilities of the different government agencies involved in climate change
mitigation as well as lack of institutional capacity to undertake their
responsibility.
3.3.8 Carbon Lock-In
Carbon lock-in refers to industrial economies that begin to be closed
into fossil fuel-based technological systems by a ‘path-dependent’ process
caused by technological, industrial and institutional increasing returns to
scale so much so that even though alternative sources of energy are more
economically viable, they are not embraced.
82
The current fossil fuel-based infrastructure, technologies and institutions in Africa will jointly restrict any energy transition due to the fact
that they have been tried and tested and found true. This compounded
by the colossal capital costs discussed earlier, the longevity of infrastructure and interdependence between governments, energy suppliers and
80 Ibid. (n 37).
81 Jackie Midlane, ‘Energy 2019| South Africa’ (Global Legal Insights), https://www.globallegali
nsights.com/practice-areas/energy-laws-and-regulations/south-africa, accessed 2 September 2019.
82 Pia Buschmann and Angela Oels, ‘The Overlooked Role Of Discourse in Breaking Carbon
Lock-In: The Case of the German Energy Transition’ (2019) Vol 10 WIRES Climate Change