The Africa Centre for Energy Policy, an African energy policy think tank, has advocated for Africa’s participation in the development of renewable energy technologies.
Charles Ofori, Policy Lead, Climate Change and Energy Transition, Africa Centre for Energy Policy made the call during a visit by Climate Change Journalism Fellows from the Ghana-based Media Foundation for West Africa.
Otherwise known as clean or sustainable energy, renewable energy is energy derived and produced from naturally replenishable sources or processes, as opposed to energy obtained from fossil fuels such as coal and gas.
During the visit, Ofori urged African leaders to make room for research and technological advancements as according to him, Africa could create and compete with some of the technologies produced by developed countries.
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Ofori said that although the demand for renewable energy technologies is increasing, it is being fed by imports, adding that the challenge lies with the fact that “when you focus much on the importation, you do not open up the industry to allow many people access to opportunities in terms of jobs and employment generation that come with the industry”.
“This means that Africa is missing a lot of opportunities when it comes to participating in the production of some of these technologies,” he said. “That is why we are focused on the value chain; how African countries can engage meaningfully in the aspect of the value chain so that we can create the capacity for the production and development of some of these technologies.”
He called for the establishment of industries in Africa to enable “employment generation and help the youths to employ their skills in the aspect of renewable energy technologies”.
This story was adapted from Punch.
