Rethinking Biomass Energy in Sub-Sahara Africa

Ewah EleriInternational Centre for Energy, Environment &

Development

International Symposium, Bonn, Tuesday August 25, 2009

VENRO &

German NGO Forum on Environment & Development

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Why the growing Interest in Biomass Energy?

The link between biomass energy and poverty is strong

Biomass delivers energy in all forms – solid, liquid and gas

Meets energy needs without expensive technologies

The linkage with ghg emission mitigation is strong

By being locally-driven, it enhances energy security

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Why the growing Interest in Biomass Energy? Cont...

½ Million die annually in SSA as result of traditional fuelwood use (against 750,000 for malaria)

One billion in SSA will in 2030 be dependent on traditional woodfuel for energy

Access to modern energy is in decline in most of SSA countries

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Decline in electricity use (kwh/capita) 1990 - 2004

COUNTRY RATE OF DECLINEGhana -22%Chad -31.3%Cameroon -8.9%S. Leone -54.7%DRC -42.1%Zimbabwe -10%Source: UNDP HDR, 2007/8

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Poverty – Main Driver of Energy Access Decline

Recent economic growth reversed by global economic crisis, crash in commodity prices, lower FDI and drop in remittances

Since 1980 the number of poor people had declined by 1% annually in developing countries, except in SSA

Most countries in SSA will not reduce by ½ the number of poor people by 2015

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Growth in the number of poor people – 1990 - 2005

REGION 1980 2005World 52% 26%East Asia 80% 18%South Asia 60% 40%SSA 50% (200m) 50% (380m)Source: World Bank

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Energy Resource Distribution

REGION RESOURCESWest Oil, Gas & HydroEast Hydro & GeothermalSouth Coal & HydroCentral Hydro & Biomass

Non-OECD

Europe0.2%

China4.5%

Asia*4.5%Latin

America9.2%

Africa12.2%

OECD23.7%

Middle East

30.9%

Former USSR14.7%

2005 Regional shares of Crude Oil production

Non-OECD

Europe0.6%

China1.9%

Asia*9.5%

Latin America

4.7%

Africa6.2%

OECD38.6%

Middle East

10.3%

Former USSR28.2%

2005 Regional Shares of Natural Gas

production

Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities

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Electricity Production

80%

17% 2% 1%

Electricity production in SSA

Coal

Hydropower

Nuclear power

Other Renewables

Underdeveloped Modern Energy Sector

Refining capacity only 3.3% of world total Hydropower production only 7% of total

potential Hydropower production only 3% of world

total

Energy & the MDGs

Energy underpins wealth creation Extends economic activities beyond

daylight Encourages locally owned businesses Bridges the digital divide Improves access to water resources Helps achieve universal primary education Reduces the burden of diseases

Biomass – Wood Resource Trends

0.7% annual forest decline in SSA Growing demand for fuelwood Increased fuel wood scarcity around major

towns Rising cost of fuel wood and charcoal in

urban and peri-urban areas

Total Wood Removal 1990 - 2005

Country % IncreaseAngola 42%Burundi 44%DRC 51%Gabon 92%Ghana 83%Rwanda 23%

Biomass – Charcoal Trends

The Energy Transition has stopped in charcoal use

Urban demand for charcoal is a key driver for peri-urban devegetation

Charcoal production and combustion technologies remain predominantly inefficient

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Death as a Result of Solid Fuel Use

Countries/Regions Population Size (000)

Total deaths attributable to solid fuel use

Total deaths attributable to solid fuel use as proportion of population (%)

Sub-Saharan Africa

858,744 459,400 5.3 India 1 198 003 407,100 3.4 Brazil 193,734 4,100 0.2 China 1,345,751 380,700 0.3 Indonesia 229 965 15,300 0.7 Source: Population figures: Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat (2009). World Population Prospects: The 2008 Revision. Highlights. New York: UN Total death attributed to solid fuels use: WHO,2007: Indoor Air Pollution, National Burden of Disease Estimates

Number of People Using Traditional Biomass (in millions)

2000 2030China 706 645India 585 632Other Asia 420 456Latin America 96 72SSA 583 996Source: Karakezi et al, 2008

Traditional Biomass Energy Tech Trends – e.g. open fire stoves

High wood and energy loss High costs 15% of total food budget in street

restaurants (in Nigeria) 11% of total food budgets in secondary

schools (in Nigeria) High toll on health

Improved Biomass Energy Tech Trends – e.g cookstoves

Can be manufactured locally, No IPR barriers and requires only basic training

Good examples: 2m sold in Kenya; 1.5m delivered by GTZ

Stove programmes are small-scaled, donor dependent and project based

Hard road from project to the market place Stoves not available in markets New interests in large scale production

Why the lack of progress on cookstoves?

Policy failure Product Quality Promotion Pricing and finance Partnership

Modern Biomass Technologies - Biogas

Country Number distributedTanzania >1000Kenya 500Botswana 215Burundi 279Zimbabwe 200Lesotho 40Bukina Faso 20Source: Karekezi & Kithyoma 2003

Modern Biomass – Biofuels Trends

Potentials to reduce dependence on imported petroleum and stimulate access to rural energy

Isolated projects Investments in large scale or small scale

biofuels project almost non-existent Weak government promotion and regulation

Modern Biomass – Biofuel Issues

Food and fuel Fuel and environment Land rights Policy support Affordable financing Large scale vs. small scale

Modern Biomass – Cogeneration

Quick wins in opportunities for power production

Good examples in Mauritius and Kenya De-industrialisation reduces scope Weak policy support (feed-in laws in

Kenya and South Africa)

Domestic Reforms - Governance

Devolution of energy institutions Enhance participation in decision-making,

especially women Make access to energy a right Support budget tracking Build domestic coalitions for energy right Fight corruption

Domestic Reforms – Contd…

Think Big!! Engage the political process Deepen domestic financial markets Strengthen regulation and promotion of

sustainable biofuels Market development for improved and

modern biomass techs

The Role of International Cooperation

Set global targets on energy access Scale up quick gains – cookstoves and cogen Build a global biomass cookstove partnership Strengthen the link b/w energy access and the

tech transfer debate within UNFCCC Make the carbon market serve the poor Scrutinize the role of development assistance,

especially MFIs

Thank you!

Ewah Eleri

International Centre for Energy, Environment & Development

ewah@iceednigeria.org

www.iceednigeria.org