Trends in Africa
Empowering Communities
Trends in Africa
M – KOPA Solar, a company which operates in East Africa, provides solar home systems to off grid households.it helps to reduce heavily reliance on fossil fuels and decrease the emissions of carbon. According to M- KOPA 2019 Impact Report, the changes that company’s systems were having on three million people in 750,000 homes and businesses ranging across improvements in livelihoods, climate action, economic inclusion and customer savings (Tonder, et al.,2019)
Climate Smart Agriculture, a project in Kenya dedicated to increase the agriculture production and build and strengthen resilience to risks of climate change in the smallholder farming and pastoral communities, and during emergency or eligible crisis, to provide immediate and effective response. The project has five components; upscaling climate smart agricultural practices, strengthening climate-smart agricultural research and seed systems, supporting agro-weather, market, climate, and advisory services, project coordination and management and contingency emergency response which will This will finance eligible expenditures under the Immediate Response Mechanism (IRM) in case of natural or man-made crises or disasters, severe economic shocks, or other crises and emergencies in Kenya (Kenya – Climate Smart Agriculture Project: World Bank Group)
http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/440241486868444705/Kenya-Climate-Smart-Agriculture-Project
What has the company done differently to recognize the agency of people in the rural communities
According to Steve Jobs, the initial action before developing a product would be to go to the customers which are the villagers in this case and find out what they need, work on your technology to meet their needs rather than taking what is on the shelf and shoving it down on the customer.
The solution for Africa is not just electrification, there are health challenges, lack of clean water, unemployment. The VAULTe mission is the five pillars of infrastructure: job creation, health system, water purification, green house technologies to create other forms nutrition to boost their health. This electrification would also foster job creation for these villagers and aid economic development.
East and Southern Africa Forest Observatory (OFESA), agency which provides a platform for sharing, exchanging, and accessing data and information related to the forests of East and Southern Africa. Its goal is to produce a comprehensive and full regional dataset on the latest trends and threats to forests, and to make information useful and easily accessible to stakeholders: policymakers, forestry practitioners, funders and citizens. By informing decision-making, OFESA operates in five African countries; Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, and Mozambique, to meet their climate and environment targets. In these five countries, OFESA works hand in hand with national institutions such as the Tanzania Forest Service, the Ethiopia Forestry Development, the National Forestry Authority Uganda, the Kenya Forest Service, the National Directorate of Forests Mozambique (https://rcmrd.org/en/projects/ofesa).
Bboxx, a platform which offers solar home systems and smart appliances, enabling households to get clean energy affordably and reduce their carbon footprints and emissions. It has a goal of tackling the challenge of energy poverty in Africa. According to Bboxx 2024 article, In the 13 years since it has expanded into 11 African markets – including providing electricity to more than 10% of Rwanda’s households and has broadened the range of important products and services from solar energy to include pay-as-you go clean cooking solutions, water pumps, smartphones, and electric vehicles. Bboxx commits to Africa’s future as it moves global HQ to Rwanda. By moving its Headquarters and managing its operations in 11 countries from Kigali, it is positioning itself at the core of Africa’s rapidly evolving energy and technology sectors, enhancing access to key markets, and reaffirming Bboxx’s dedication to long-term and sustainable growth.
Coal is the primary energy source for South Africa, but this must change in order to reach its reduction in carbon emission targets. In February 2022, the South African Hydrogen Society Roadmap (HSRM) was published by the government. The roadmap is considered to be an important marker on its way towards implementing hydrogen development, which is conceived to be at the center of the strategy of South Africa for growth in economy and mitigating climate change. During COP27, South African President launched the new Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET IP) for South Africa and in October 2022, the South African cabinet approved a five-year investment plan for the USD 8.5-billion package. The JET IP is aligned with the Cabinet-approved National Just Transition Framework. The JET IP covers electricity, green hydrogen and new energy vehicles and identifies USD 98-billion in financial requirements over the next five years, to come from both the public and private sectors (Whyte, et al.,2023).
The goal of the JET IP is to decarbonize the South African economy to within the NDC target by 2030 (range of 350-420 MtCO2). The JET IP is centered on decarbonization, growth of economy social justice, inclusivity, and governance. The investment criteria for the Plan include projects that deliver on greenhouse gas emissions reduction and just transition outcomes, and are catalytic in nature and ready to implement
According to the Ministry of Energy of Tanzania, 72% of the energy produced in Tanzania is used in homes and biomass accounts for 90% of the primary energy supply in households. 65% of this energy is firewood, 26.2% charcoal and the rest is a combination of electricity, LPG and other sources. The health and environmental impact of the use of these energy sources are witnessed. Tanzania’s Ministry of Energy held a Clean Cooking Conference whereby Tanzania’s President expressed the government’s commitment in energy sector as follows:Â
Forming a national clean cooking taskforce, which will be responsible to develop a clean cooking 10 years strategy. The strategy’s goal will be to ensure the usage of at least 80% clean cooking energy in the country by 2032. Also, this strategy will include recommendations of a policy, legal and regulatory framework to promote clean cooking, as well as address matters like accessibility, affordability and sustainability of clean cooking solutions.
Establishment of Clean Cooking Fund, which will be useful in promoting the use of clean cooking. Currently, the government has budgeted 500 million Tanzanian Shillings ($214,000 USD) and plans to attract the private sector and development partners to contribute to this fund as well
(https://www.trade.gov/market-intelligence/tanzania-clean-cooking-energy).
According to Solar Energy in Morocco: Lighting Up the Continent article of 2021, before the renewable attitude, 97% of energy in Morocco was produced by fossil fuels. In 2018 and 2019, it became a powerhouse in renewable energy, exporting high percent of energy and decreasing imports. This can be attributed to the nation building the largest concentrated solar farm in the world. The solar plant, known as the Noor Complex, which has the capability to power one million homes and greatly reduce the use of fossil fuel and work toward a greener society. Morocco is highly committed and invested in combatting climate change and the environmental crisis. Along with many green policies, Morocco is promoting and implementing the Green Generation 2020-2030 strategy to help farmers conserve water and energy and grow crops more efficiently.
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(https://borgenproject.org/solar-energy-in-morocco/#:~:text=In%202018%20and%202019%2C%20Morocco%20became%20a%20powerhouse,the%20largest%20concentrated%20solar%20farm%20in%20the%20world)
Speaker:
Andy Perk
Company:
VAULTe global
Start Date:
12.07.2023
Research Duration:
6 Month
Location:
Los Angeles
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