Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe
Africa Energy Week (AEW) started on 17 October in Cape Town. The slogan of the event is to “make energy poverty history”. Recent research on Africa’s energy access indicates that “about 48% of sub-Saharan Africa (600 million people) are without access to electricity.”
The need for energy on the continent is abundantly clear. What type of energy is the question. If many of the leaders speaking at AEW are anything to go by, they’ll have you believe that fossil fuels are absolutely essential.
South Africa’s Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, made an opening speech that was indeed eye-opening.
He said: “In recognition of the continued role of the fossil fuels in supporting energy security and the fact that 82% of energy sources in the world are from these fossil fuels, Africa must intensify its efforts aimed at developing its oil and gas sector in order to benefit from the expected increase of natural gas market in global supply.”
At a time when the world urgently needs to halt climate change, continuing fossil fuels surely cannot be the way forward. To stop climate change there can be no new fossil fuel projects. Existing ones need to be phased out instead.
Mantashe also echoed his previous sentiments on NGOs and how they are weaponising climate change against development. It seems like he is tired and lost the energy for these events. He keeps repeating these sentiments.
Aside from these alarming notes from Mantashe, other attendees included keynote speakers like Alex Epstein, a fossil fuel lobbyist, and NJ Ayuk, a person better known for fraud and changing his name multiple times. These sorts of people are players in the fossil fuel world.
A brief further glance at the list of speakers will reveal that representatives from oil and petroleum industries were given prominent voices.
Fossil fuels and the need for them in development was a strong theme throughout.
One session, called King Coal is Back — Africa’s Future Clean Coal Industry, focussed on the importance of coal for Africa’s future.
APO Group, a communications agency, sent out a statement where they discussed this session.
Here’s what was said about the lasting importance of coal in the energy mix for the continent.
There was a session at the event called King Coal is Back – Africa’s Future Clean Coal Industry. In it the session focussed on coal for Africa’s future.
Here’s what it said about the lasting importance of coal in the energy mix for the continent.
“Despite the increasing worldwide emphasis on renewable energy, coal remains indispensable, particularly in regions experiencing rapid population growth.”
The discussion went on to discuss the importance of clean coal in the energy mix.
Popular Mechanics journalist David Grossman explains clean coal like this: “Clean coal usually means capturing carbon emissions from burning coal and storing them in underground pockets of porous rock.”
The Centre for Environment Rights cautioned in a paper that clean coal storage has uncertainty around leakage, is costly, and that decades will pass before the technology can be proven.
Dr Zwanani Titus Mathe, CEO of the South African National Energy Development Institute, said in his presentation: “While renewable energy is a key component of the transition to cleaner energy, it’s equally vital to consider and invest in clean coal technologies. These technologies can help maintain energy security while addressing environmental concerns.”
These sentiments are in line with Mantashe’s views that renewable energy itself is not enough to solve energy poverty. While renewables have a place, many energy leaders on the continent believe it not to be reliable enough for the development needs of the continent.
Dan Mashigo, general manager of primary energy at Eskom, highlighted that “coal is a part of this mix and, when managed effectively alongside renewable sources, can play a crucial role in achieving a cleaner energy future.”
It seems coal is still highly regarded in many African countries. Fossil fuels are still highly sought after and a profitable way forward for many of the continent’s leaders. For a region that stands to be hit devastatingly hard by climate change, this is concerning.
Alex Lenferna, the general secretary of the South African Climate Justice Coalition and a post-doctoral research fellow in the Nelson Mandela University’s department of development studies, wrote a piece for BusinessLive on Africa Energy Week, which he shared with me for use.
In it, he notes: “Let us not be duped once again by their false pretences to care about Africa’s people, or their pernicious promises to deliver development. Let us remember their violent, exploitative and toxic legacies, which have perpetuated vast injustices across our continent.
“It is time for the people of Africa to reject the false prophets of fossil-fuelled prosperity. Instead, we must claim our own, home-grown, African clean energy future. One that truly delivers on the promise of energy, prosperity and a good life for all.”
It’s imperative to find clean energy technologies that aid development and secure Africa’s development needs. Gas has a role to play in that, within reason. Africa Energy Week missed this opportunity to advance this narrative and move away from the ever-polluting fossil fuels.