By Duncan Mboyah
Energy experts have urged the international financial institutions to support clean energy in Africa to reduce carbon emissions.
The experts who were talking in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, said that it is high time that African countries adopt solar, wind and hydrogen green energy to meet their global climate change projections.
Noting that the African countries unfortunately suffer from financial constraints that hinders their adoption, the experts called for the introduction of innovative financing models to help the countries adopt clean energy usage.
Speaking during a lecture on emerging clean energy trends and opportunities across Africa, the experts urged the governments to put policies in place and offer tax incentives to allow easy adoption of the technology.
The experts called for cross-continental knowledge exchange and identified collaborative pathways for research, innovation, and inclusive growth in the clean energy sector across Africa.
Wangari Muchiri, director of Africa at the Global Wind Energy Council, said that funding remains the major barrier in upscaling clean energy installation, distribution, and usage.
“The cost of solar equipment has gone down, but unfortunately, the number of solar plants built in Africa are fewer,” Muchiri said.
She noted that solar energy is an ideal solution for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Africa in line with global climate priorities.
Muchiri observed that the technology is ideal for rural electrification in remote areas where it can operate independently of transmission and distribution networks.
Prof. Izael Da Silva, Deputy Vice Chancellor at Strathmore University, noted that the university, which is purely run on solar energy, is opting to develop green hydrogen since it has an option in the transition from fossil fuels, reducing carbon emissions and fostering a greener future. Already, the university has started training students on the use of green hydrogen.
Prof. Da Silva added that green hydrogen offers a viable solution to pressing challenges of energy security, economic development and environmental sustainability.
The experts recommended the adoption of university-led research and cross-regional academic partnerships to help African countries embrace emerging technologies and energy innovation.
They preferred the adoption of local capacity building and workforce development that incorporates social inclusion, gender equity and community impact as opposed to relying on experts from outside the continent.
The meeting was attended by government representatives, investors, researchers, students, development partners, and civil society actors who are engaged in the global energy transition.
