IT'S WIDELY RECOGNIZED THAT THE ROLE OF RENEWABLES
IN THE GLOBAL GENERATION MIX IS RISING, REFLECTING THEIR
INCREASINGLY LOWER COSTS AND IMPROVED RELIABILITY, SUPPORTED BY
CHANGING POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS. THIS ARTICLE
ASKS THE QUESTION WHETHER AFRICA NEEDS GAS TO COMPLEMENT ITS
GROWING RENEWABLE ENERGY SECTOR?
Africa saw an 8.4% increase in installed renewable energy in
2018 to reach some 46 GW, tempered somewhat perhaps by the fact
that in 2017, all new non-hydro power plant projects were fuelled
by fuel oil, diesel or coal 1. The share of renewables
in meeting global energy demand is expected to grow by one-fifth in
the next five years to reach 12.4% in 2023.