Rethinking Biomass Energy in Sub-Sahara Africa Ewah Eleri International Centre for Energy, Environment & Development International Symposium, Bonn, Tuesday August 25, 2009 VENRO & German NGO Forum on Environment & Development

2 Why the growing Interest in Biomass Energy?  The link between biomass energy and poverty is strong  Biomass delivers energy in all forms – solid, liquid and gas  Meets energy needs without expensive technologies  The linkage with ghg emission mitigation is strong  By being locally-driven, it enhances energy security

3 Why the growing Interest in Biomass Energy? Cont...  ½ Million die annually in SSA as result of traditional fuelwood use (against 750,000 for malaria)  One billion in SSA will in 2030 be dependent on traditional woodfuel for energy  Access to modern energy is in decline in most of SSA countries

4 Decline in electricity use (kwh/capita) COUNTRYRATE OF DECLINE Ghana-22% Chad-31.3% Cameroon-8.9% S. Leone-54.7% DRC-42.1% Zimbabwe-10% Source: UNDP HDR, 2007/8

5 Poverty – Main Driver of Energy Access Decline  Recent economic growth reversed by global economic crisis, crash in commodity prices, lower FDI and drop in remittances  Since 1980 the number of poor people had declined by 1% annually in developing countries, except in SSA  Most countries in SSA will not reduce by ½ the number of poor people by 2015

6 Growth in the number of poor people – REGION World52%26% East Asia80%18% South Asia60%40% SSA50% (200m)50% (380m) Source: World Bank

7 Energy Resource Distribution REGIONRESOURCES WestOil, Gas & Hydro EastHydro & Geothermal SouthCoal & Hydro CentralHydro & Biomass

Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities 9 Electricity Production

Underdeveloped Modern Energy Sector  Refining capacity only 3.3% of world total  Hydropower production only 7% of total potential  Hydropower production only 3% of world total

Energy & the MDGs  Energy underpins wealth creation  Extends economic activities beyond daylight  Encourages locally owned businesses  Bridges the digital divide  Improves access to water resources  Helps achieve universal primary education  Reduces the burden of diseases

Biomass – Wood Resource Trends  0.7% annual forest decline in SSA  Growing demand for fuelwood  Increased fuel wood scarcity around major towns  Rising cost of fuel wood and charcoal in urban and peri-urban areas

Total Wood Removal Country% Increase Angola42% Burundi44% DRC51% Gabon92% Ghana83% Rwanda23%

Biomass – Charcoal Trends  The Energy Transition has stopped in charcoal use  Urban demand for charcoal is a key driver for peri-urban devegetation  Charcoal production and combustion technologies remain predominantly inefficient

15 Death as a Result of Solid Fuel Use

Number of People Using Traditional Biomass (in millions) China India Other Asia Latin America9672 SSA Source: Karakezi et al, 2008

Traditional Biomass Energy Tech Trends – e.g. open fire stoves  High wood and energy loss  High costs  15% of total food budget in street restaurants (in Nigeria)  11% of total food budgets in secondary schools (in Nigeria)  High toll on health

Improved Biomass Energy Tech Trends – e.g cookstoves  Can be manufactured locally, No IPR barriers and requires only basic training  Good examples: 2m sold in Kenya; 1.5m delivered by GTZ  Stove programmes are small-scaled, donor dependent and project based  Hard road from project to the market place  Stoves not available in markets  New interests in large scale production

Why the lack of progress on cookstoves?  Policy failure  Product Quality  Promotion  Pricing and finance  Partnership

Modern Biomass Technologies - Biogas CountryNumber distributed Tanzania>1000 Kenya500 Botswana215 Burundi279 Zimbabwe200 Lesotho40 Bukina Faso20 Source: Karekezi & Kithyoma 2003

Modern Biomass – Biofuels Trends  Potentials to reduce dependence on imported petroleum and stimulate access to rural energy  Isolated projects  Investments in large scale or small scale biofuels project almost non-existent  Weak government promotion and regulation

Modern Biomass – Biofuel Issues  Food and fuel  Fuel and environment  Land rights  Policy support  Affordable financing  Large scale vs. small scale

Modern Biomass – Cogeneration  Quick wins in opportunities for power production  Good examples in Mauritius and Kenya  De-industrialisation reduces scope  Weak policy support (feed-in laws in Kenya and South Africa)

Domestic Reforms - Governance  Devolution of energy institutions  Enhance participation in decision-making, especially women  Make access to energy a right  Support budget tracking  Build domestic coalitions for energy right  Fight corruption

Domestic Reforms – Contd…  Think Big!!  Engage the political process  Deepen domestic financial markets  Strengthen regulation and promotion of sustainable biofuels  Market development for improved and modern biomass techs

The Role of International Cooperation  Set global targets on energy access  Scale up quick gains – cookstoves and cogen  Build a global biomass cookstove partnership  Strengthen the link b/w energy access and the tech transfer debate within UNFCCC  Make the carbon market serve the poor  Scrutinize the role of development assistance, especially MFIs

Thank you! Ewah Eleri International Centre for Energy, Environment & Development