Self-thought innovator James Samba stands in front of an eco-friendly electric vehicle he made from scrap metals in Freetown, Sierra Leone on 18th December  2024.  Assembled from recycled scrap metal and powered by batteries, the pink four-wheeled vehicle now roams the streets of the capital. Although the project is still in its infancy, Samba aims to offer an eco-friendly alternative to traditional fuel-run models.
Photo credit: Saidu Bah/AFP via Getty Images

Reconciling the need for affordable, accessible and sustainable energy in Africa

The ongoing conversation about clean energy urges a shift from burning wood, dung, and oil for fuel while promoting accessible, affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy solutions. However, Africa is rich in natural resources, such as abundant wood, plentiful dung, and vast untapped oil reserves. These resources offer both opportunities and challenges. Additionally, many clean energy alternatives, such as solar power, require expensive technology and production processes, which may not be affordable or accessible for all African communities. This raises an important question: Does this approach contradict the core values of clean energy—being clean, accessible, affordable, sustainable, and reliable?

While clean energy discussions often focus on reducing reliance on wood, dung, and oil due to their environmental impacts, such as deforestation, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions, the issue of energy access, affordability, and reliability, especially in regions like Africa, complicates the conversation. For many people in Africa, the transition to clean energy must not only be environmentally sound but also economically viable and immediately available.

As a renewable resource, wood provides an energy source for many African households. However, burning wood contributes to environmental degradation. It can lead to deforestation, air pollution, and carbon emissions. In some regions, the harvesting of timber for fuel occurs at a rate faster than the forests can replenish, leading to a loss of vital ecosystems. Furthermore, burning wood indoors, common in many African homes, presents serious health risks due to indoor air pollution. While reforestation and afforestation can help restore forests, the rate at which trees are harvested often outpaces these efforts.

Dung, a byproduct of agriculture in many African communities, is readily available and has traditionally been used as a source of fuel. However, burning dung also contributes to air pollution, leading to respiratory problems and other health issues. Yet, when used sustainably, dung is a natural fertilizer, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers. Instead of being burned for fuel, dung could be more effectively used for biogas production or other clean cooking technologies. These technologies, which convert organic waste into usable energy, present a more sustainable and health-conscious alternative to traditional burning practices.

Though abundant in some African countries, oil comes with its own environmental challenges. It is a finite fossil fuel, and its extraction and use contribute to carbon emissions and climate change. Moreover, oil extraction can harm local ecosystems, and reliance on oil can lead to long-term environmental degradation. While oil may offer an immediate energy source and economic benefits, over-reliance on it can prevent communities from achieving long-term sustainability.

The clean energy movement recognises these challenges and stresses the importance of transitioning away from traditional fuels while ensuring that energy remains accessible, affordable, and reliable. Energy access remains a critical issue for many African communities, where millions still lack reliable electricity. The key challenge, therefore, is balancing energy access with environmental sustainability. Renewable energy alternatives like solar, wind, and hydropower offer significant promise for Africa. The continent is blessed with abundant sunlight and wind, and these renewable sources are cleaner and more sustainable compared to fossil fuels. In recent years, the cost of renewable energy technologies, such as solar panels, has decreased significantly, making them more accessible to communities that previously could not afford them.

In addition to solar, biogas offers another promising solution. For regions where wood and dung are still widely used as fuels, biogas production from organic waste, including dung, can help provide cleaner alternatives. Improved cookstoves that reduce emissions are also critical to addressing air pollution while still utilising available resources. These cleaner alternatives can bridge the gap between current energy needs and the future goal of complete sustainability.

Clean energy advocacy does not overlook the reality of resource availability. Instead, it emphasises the need for energy systems that are sustainable over the long term, reduce environmental and health risks, and ensure equitable access for all. The challenge lies in moving away from harmful practices, such as burning wood and dung indoors, while simultaneously using available resources more responsibly and progressively.