Ghana to host Africa Energy Technology Confab
A high-level conference aimed at exploring the latest innovations in technology and policies necessary for the transformation and sustainable development of the energy sector on the African continent has been launched.
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Dubbed the “Africa Energy Technology Conference”, it would converge, industry leaders, policymakers, researchers and innovators from across Africa to foster collaboration and innovation in the field of energy technology within the continent.
To be held on the theme: “Africa at the Forefront of Energy Technology and Policy Integration in a Just Energy Transition”, it would also serve as a platform for stakeholders to engage in insightful discussions, exchange ideas, and explore sustainable solutions to the challenges faced by the energy sector in Africa.
Spearheaded by Africa Energy Technology Centre (AETC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy, the three-day exhibition would take place in Accra from Tuesday, August 8 to Thursday, August 10, 2023.
The Special Guest of Honour for the event would be the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, with other guest speakers, including the wife of the Vice-President, Samira Bawumia and the Minister of Energy, Mathew Opoku Prempeh, among other dignitaries.
Addressing participants at the launch of the conference in Accra, last Wednesday (June 21), the Deputy Minister of Energy, Herbert Krapa, stated that Africa’s energy challenges were not unknown to us, as we lacked the industrial base required to drive large-scale energy consumption at the cheapest prices.
Energy transition
Concerning the energy transition, he said the country was on a pathway towards transforming the global energy sector from fossil-based fuel to zero carbon by 2070.
However, we achieved a 2.4% Renewable Energy penetration and a 95 per cent conversion of thermal plants from liquid fuels to natural gas.
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“In the midst of this, the demand for energy in Africa is rising, and will continue to rise, and if energy systems in Africa will grow to meet this rapidly growing demand, technology is the answer. Technology that is efficient, reliable, resilient and affordable is the answer,” he explained
Mr Krapa, thus, said that the conference was timely, as the continent could use it as an opportunity to open up new policy paradigms for the energy sectors.
“So as technology costs for renewables are going down and global investment is shifting, let us join forces to use technology for change,” he stated.
Transition
The Board Chair of AETC, Dr Thomas Manu, said in recent years, many countries, especially developing countries, were in talks about energy transition and Africa, which had its challenges in terms of quality, was crying out for a just energy transition.
That, he said, was because Africa could not transition as the developed countries; hence, the need for the continent to look out for homegrown technologies and the adaptation of other technologies to transition in a way that would not affect the economies of the participating nations while taking into consideration energy security and how to address energy poverty to actively industrialise to promote economic growth.
In a speech read on his behalf by a representative of AETC, a Deputy Director of Renewable and Nuclear Energy at the Ministry of Energy, Dr Robert Sogbadji, said the conference was to engage stakeholders within the continent to address the pertinent issue of what was available for Africa to transition successfully on its own terms.
The Founder of AETC, Emelia Akumah, also added that the conference will provide a unique platform for stakeholders to come together, share knowledge, and explore innovative solutions that can propel Africa to the forefront of energy technology and policy integration.
“Our aim is to facilitate a just and equitable energy transition that prioritises sustainability, inclusivity and economic growth for the African continent,” Ms Akumah added.