Keywords: energy infrastructure. Sub-Saharan Africa, sustainable development, hydro potential, alternative energy
Ensuring access of the population to modern energy sources for African States remains one of the most important problems that need to be resolved as soon as possible. In this regard, it is important that the 65th UN General Assembly proclaimed 2012 the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All and noted the importance of investing in clean energy technologies. This initiative aims to achieve three main goals by 2030: ensuring universal access to modern energy services; reducing the intensity of global energy consumption by 40%; and increasing the share of renewable energy sources in the world to 30%.1
African countries need the help of the international community in addressing the development of energy infrastructure, which, in turn, would help to increase production efficiency, increase employment, and improve the living conditions of the population.
CURRENT REALITIES AND POTENTIAL OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
The total installed energy capacity of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is approximately 73 GW, which is comparable to that of Spain and slightly less than that of Italy, France or Germany. However, the population of the countries of the region is many times higher than in the mentioned countries. It is estimated that over 60% of the region's population living in poverty is deprived of access to electricity.2
The development of energy infrastructure and electrification in Africa is proceeding at a slow pace. The amount of electricity produced per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa has remained virtually unchanged since the early 1980s, accounting for only a tenth of that in South-East Asia. In rural areas, electrification does not exceed 10% of demand, while in general, in developing countries, this figure has increased in recent years to 50% .3
The vast majority of the rural population of SSA uses firewood, charcoal and various types of primitive biomass ...
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