3 Energy Transition in Africa: Context, Barriers and Strategies
97
the efficiency of the plant or capturing the carbon emissions (Carbon
Capture and Storage).
90
Other examples of clean fossil fuel technologies that can be deployed
to constrain carbon emissions during power generation are conventional
turbine technologies (e.g. Combined Cycle Gas Turbines [CCGT]), cofiring systems (combining coal with other fuels) and Combined Heat
and Power (CHP) systems (using coal, oil or gas).
91
It is worth noting that the economic viability of clean coal technologies and particularly CCS has been widely debated with critics arguing
that the deployment of CCS on a global scale will greatly be contingent
on the value and price that society places on the sustainability of the
environment and the ecosystem and that CCS will only be scalable if
there is a carbon price (the higher the price, the more the incentive for
CCS and the quicker it becomes economically viable).
92 Carbon price or
not, the utilization of these technologies in Africa even at a smaller scale
is restricted by the high investment and operation costs they require as
well as lack of expertise. Suggestions on how to tackle these two issues
will be dealt with later on in the chapter.
3.4.1.3 Utilizing Fossil Fuels as Building Blocks
for Petrochemicals
The demand for petrochemicals is reported to have increased twofold
since 2000.
93 Currently, the petrochemicals sector utilizes 14% and 8%
of daily global use of oil and gas, respectively.
94 Research shows that coal
can also be used as a feedstock for the sector.
95
90 International Energy Agency, ‘Energy Technology Perspectives—Catalysing Energy Technology
Transformations’ (2017), https://www.iea.org/etp2017/, accessed 9 August 2019.
91 Ibid.
92 Leigh A Hackett, ‘Commercialisation of CCS What needs to happen?’ (2016) IChemE Energy
Centre.
93 International Energy Agency, ‘The Future of Petrochemicals: Towards More Sustainable
Plastics and Fertilisers’ (2018), https://www.iea.org/petrochemicals/, accessed 9 August 2019.
94 Ibid.
95 Tao Ren And Martin Patel, ‘Basic Petrochemicals from Natural Gas, Coal and Biomass:
Energy Use and CO 2 Emissions’ (2009) Vol 53 (9), Resources, Conservation and Recycling.
97
the efficiency of the plant or capturing the carbon emissions (Carbon
Capture and Storage).
90
Other examples of clean fossil fuel technologies that can be deployed
to constrain carbon emissions during power generation are conventional
turbine technologies (e.g. Combined Cycle Gas Turbines [CCGT]), cofiring systems (combining coal with other fuels) and Combined Heat
and Power (CHP) systems (using coal, oil or gas).
91
It is worth noting that the economic viability of clean coal technologies and particularly CCS has been widely debated with critics arguing
that the deployment of CCS on a global scale will greatly be contingent
on the value and price that society places on the sustainability of the
environment and the ecosystem and that CCS will only be scalable if
there is a carbon price (the higher the price, the more the incentive for
CCS and the quicker it becomes economically viable).
92 Carbon price or
not, the utilization of these technologies in Africa even at a smaller scale
is restricted by the high investment and operation costs they require as
well as lack of expertise. Suggestions on how to tackle these two issues
will be dealt with later on in the chapter.
3.4.1.3 Utilizing Fossil Fuels as Building Blocks
for Petrochemicals
The demand for petrochemicals is reported to have increased twofold
since 2000.
93 Currently, the petrochemicals sector utilizes 14% and 8%
of daily global use of oil and gas, respectively.
94 Research shows that coal
can also be used as a feedstock for the sector.
95
90 International Energy Agency, ‘Energy Technology Perspectives—Catalysing Energy Technology
Transformations’ (2017), https://www.iea.org/etp2017/, accessed 9 August 2019.
91 Ibid.
92 Leigh A Hackett, ‘Commercialisation of CCS What needs to happen?’ (2016) IChemE Energy
Centre.
93 International Energy Agency, ‘The Future of Petrochemicals: Towards More Sustainable
Plastics and Fertilisers’ (2018), https://www.iea.org/petrochemicals/, accessed 9 August 2019.
94 Ibid.
95 Tao Ren And Martin Patel, ‘Basic Petrochemicals from Natural Gas, Coal and Biomass:
Energy Use and CO 2 Emissions’ (2009) Vol 53 (9), Resources, Conservation and Recycling.