The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) and its partners recently convened the Future of Energy Conference (FEC) on October 24th and 25th, 2023, in Accra, Ghana. With the theme, “Resource Abundance, Sustainable Choices and Innovation: Shaping Africa’s Energy Landscape,” the conference served as a vital gathering for key stakeholders from governments, multilateral institutions, the business community, academia, development agencies, and Civil Society Organizations. Together, they engaged in constructive dialogues on Africa’s transition to cleaner and more sustainable energy sources.
During the opening remarks, Mr. Charles Nyirahuku, Chief Gas Officer at the African Development Bank (AfDB) and representative of the African Natural Resource and Investment Centre, underscored Africa’s significant reserves of critical minerals and its pivotal role in the cleaner energy transition.
He reaffirmed AfDB’s commitment to supporting this transition with a focus on inclusivity. Mr. Nyirahuku highlighted initiatives like the Africa Green Minerals Strategy and notable investments in renewable energy in countries such as Morocco, Kenya, and South Africa as essential steps toward achieving sustainable energy solutions.
The guest speaker, Mr. William Owuraku Aidoo, Deputy Energy Minister, acknowledged Africa’s vulnerability to climate change and emphasized its crucial role in the global energy transition. He urged the continent to harness its abundant resources for the development of renewable energy.
Mr. Aidoo pointed to Ghana’s National Energy Transition Framework (NETF), introduced in 2022, which is geared towards decarbonization and possibly incorporating nuclear power into the country’s energy mix. His speech emphasized the continuing significance of natural gas and explored the integration of nuclear energy as part of the transition strategy.
The conference featured five thought-provoking panel sessions, each comprising a keynote presentation on the central theme, with a moderator and a panel of experts. The Future of Energy Conference provided invaluable insights and actionable strategies for Africa’s energy transition. It emphasized the pressing need for urgency, agency, and active global participation in the shift towards cleaner energy sources.
The information shared by the speakers underscored the urgency of addressing issues like methane emissions and enhancing transparency and diversification within the energy sector. This underscores the importance of collaborative efforts among governments, regulators, and other stakeholders to develop practical solutions for reducing carbon emissions. By embracing innovative ideas and adhering to clear guidelines, we can collectively pave the way for a greener and more sustainable energy future that benefits our planet and its inhabitants.