Energy Usage in sub-Saharan Africa
Overview
The energy mix in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is characterized by a heavy reliance on traditional biomass fuels and kerosene for home energy use and a reliance on fossil fuels and hydropower for electricity generation. In most countries, rural areas have no access to electricity whatsoever, and grid-connected areas (which are predominantly urban) are subject to frequent electricity shortages and blackouts. Those who require consistent access to electricity are often forced to use inefficient backup diesel generators, if they can afford it.
Sub-Saharan Africa’s energy mix
The energy mix in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is characterized by a heavy reliance on traditional biomass fuels and kerosene for home energy use and a reliance on fossil fuels and hydropower for electricity generation. In most countries, rural areas have no access to electricity whatsoever, and grid-connected areas (which are predominantly urban) are subject to frequent electricity shortages and blackouts. Those who require consistent access to electricity are often forced to use inefficient backup diesel generators, if they can afford it.
With 90% of SSA’s households using them to meet their cooking, heating, and lighting needs, traditional fuels are the most widely used energy sources in Africa, as they have been since colonial and pre-colonial times. Traditional fuel sources include harvested biomass, charcoal, candles, and agricultural and animal waste. Biomass is often harvested locally and either burned directly or processed into charcoal, which provides more energy per unit mass and is less polluting than wood or other forms of unprocessed biomass. However, unprocessed biomass usage is more widespread because charcoal markets are not established in all areas and because many families cannot afford to purchase charcoal.
Cooking is the most important use for traditional fuels. In rural Africa, families commonly cook over three stone fires, which are simple, makeshift stoves that have been used in Africa for thousands of years. The use of cookstoves has been growing in recent years thanks to the efforts of governments, NGOs, and social enterprises. Cookstoves are more efficient, safer, and often create less pollution than three stone fires. Some improved cookstoves use technologies such as biomass gasification and may produce charcoal or biochar as a by-product, which can be used as a highly effective organic fertilizer. Lighting is the second most significant use for traditional fuels in SSA. Rural Africans may require lighting at night so that they can study or perform income-generating activities. Kerosene lamps and candles are widely used as sources of light across SSA.
Despite efforts to eliminate their usage, demand for traditional fuels is only expected to grow in the next few decades. Demand for biomass, especially fuelwood, is projected to increase by 40% by 2040. By this time, about 650 million people are projected to still be reliant on these fuel sources. The problems associated with the usage of traditional fuels will be discussed further in another section.
Fossil fuels
Africa is rich in fossil fuel resources but they are unevenly distributed. 90% of oil and natural gas resources are distributed among Northern and Western Africa, and 95% of proven coal reserves are in South Africa. Indeed, Nigeria is one of the world’s major oil producing nations and one of the world’s top five exporters of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Despite its vast oil resources, Nigeria is still a net importer of refined fuel and its national grid cannot generate enough electricity to meet demand, causing frequent power shortages and blackouts.
This paradox is something that is seen in many countries in SSA. Rather than utilizing locally produced oil to meet their needs, nations in SSA often import refined petroleum products from overseas, and are thus vulnerable to fluctuations in the price of crude oil. This is exacerbated by the uneven distribution of oil and natural gas resources in Africa and the lack of infrastructure necessary to facilitate refining. As a result, 38 African countries are net oil importers. In recent years, volatile world oil prices and the depletion of natural resources such as biomass that serve as alternative fuel sources has put a huge dent in SSA’s energy sector and hindered economic growth.
Usage rates of fossil fuels are low due to lack of demand. Africa as a whole accounted for just 3.7% of the world’s fossil fuel consumption in 2010. As infrastructure continues to develop and SSA’s transportation sector grows, demand can be expected to increase. Oil and natural gas are expected to overtake coal because many of Africa’s coal resources are located in remote regions that are inaccessible by current rail infrastructure. Furthermore, South Africa, Africa’s largest coal producer, is implementing policy changes that will decrease its coal usage and extraction rates in favor of the usage of renewables, hydropower, gas, and nuclear.
Kerosene, on the other hand, which is a by-product of petroleum refinement, is widely used as a source of fuel for heating and lighting in SSA. Kerosene is usually sold by village vendors and purchased by families in small quantities of well under a liter per day. It is estimated that Africans spend $10 billion USD on kerosene each year. Its widespread usage is encouraged by kerosene subsidies that have been put into place by many national governments in an effort to help reduce poverty. However, kerosene use causes problems including health issues, financial issues, and CO2 emissions. This will be discussed further in another section.
The energy mix in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is characterized by a heavy reliance on traditional biomass fuels and kerosene for home energy use and a reliance on fossil fuels and hydropower for electricity generation. In most countries, rural areas have no access to electricity whatsoever, and grid-connected areas (which are predominantly urban) are subject to frequent electricity shortages and blackouts. Those who require consistent access to electricity are often forced to use inefficient backup diesel generators, if they can afford it.
Sub-Saharan Africa’s energy mix
The energy mix in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is characterized by a heavy reliance on traditional biomass fuels and kerosene for home energy use and a reliance on fossil fuels and hydropower for electricity generation. In most countries, rural areas have no access to electricity whatsoever, and grid-connected areas (which are predominantly urban) are subject to frequent electricity shortages and blackouts. Those who require consistent access to electricity are often forced to use inefficient backup diesel generators, if they can afford it.
With 90% of SSA’s households using them to meet their cooking, heating, and lighting needs, traditional fuels are the most widely used energy sources in Africa, as they have been since colonial and pre-colonial times. Traditional fuel sources include harvested biomass, charcoal, candles, and agricultural and animal waste. Biomass is often harvested locally and either burned directly or processed into charcoal, which provides more energy per unit mass and is less polluting than wood or other forms of unprocessed biomass. However, unprocessed biomass usage is more widespread because charcoal markets are not established in all areas and because many families cannot afford to purchase charcoal.
Cooking is the most important use for traditional fuels. In rural Africa, families commonly cook over three stone fires, which are simple, makeshift stoves that have been used in Africa for thousands of years. The use of cookstoves has been growing in recent years thanks to the efforts of governments, NGOs, and social enterprises. Cookstoves are more efficient, safer, and often create less pollution than three stone fires. Some improved cookstoves use technologies such as biomass gasification and may produce charcoal or biochar as a by-product, which can be used as a highly effective organic fertilizer. Lighting is the second most significant use for traditional fuels in SSA. Rural Africans may require lighting at night so that they can study or perform income-generating activities. Kerosene lamps and candles are widely used as sources of light across SSA.
Despite efforts to eliminate their usage, demand for traditional fuels is only expected to grow in the next few decades. Demand for biomass, especially fuelwood, is projected to increase by 40% by 2040. By this time, about 650 million people are projected to still be reliant on these fuel sources. The problems associated with the usage of traditional fuels will be discussed further in another section.
Fossil fuels
Africa is rich in fossil fuel resources but they are unevenly distributed. 90% of oil and natural gas resources are distributed among Northern and Western Africa, and 95% of proven coal reserves are in South Africa. Indeed, Nigeria is one of the world’s major oil producing nations and one of the world’s top five exporters of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Despite its vast oil resources, Nigeria is still a net importer of refined fuel and its national grid cannot generate enough electricity to meet demand, causing frequent power shortages and blackouts.
This paradox is something that is seen in many countries in SSA. Rather than utilizing locally produced oil to meet their needs, nations in SSA often import refined petroleum products from overseas, and are thus vulnerable to fluctuations in the price of crude oil. This is exacerbated by the uneven distribution of oil and natural gas resources in Africa and the lack of infrastructure necessary to facilitate refining. As a result, 38 African countries are net oil importers. In recent years, volatile world oil prices and the depletion of natural resources such as biomass that serve as alternative fuel sources has put a huge dent in SSA’s energy sector and hindered economic growth.
Usage rates of fossil fuels are low due to lack of demand. Africa as a whole accounted for just 3.7% of the world’s fossil fuel consumption in 2010. As infrastructure continues to develop and SSA’s transportation sector grows, demand can be expected to increase. Oil and natural gas are expected to overtake coal because many of Africa’s coal resources are located in remote regions that are inaccessible by current rail infrastructure. Furthermore, South Africa, Africa’s largest coal producer, is implementing policy changes that will decrease its coal usage and extraction rates in favor of the usage of renewables, hydropower, gas, and nuclear.
Kerosene, on the other hand, which is a by-product of petroleum refinement, is widely used as a source of fuel for heating and lighting in SSA. Kerosene is usually sold by village vendors and purchased by families in small quantities of well under a liter per day. It is estimated that Africans spend $10 billion USD on kerosene each year. Its widespread usage is encouraged by kerosene subsidies that have been put into place by many national governments in an effort to help reduce poverty. However, kerosene use causes problems including health issues, financial issues, and CO2 emissions. This will be discussed further in another section.