. Medical and Hospital News .




.
ENERGY NEWS
Poor frameworks block African energy plans
by Staff Writers
Lagos, Nigeria (UPI) Jul 6, 2011

disclaimer: image is for illustration purposes only

Poor legal frameworks, issues of governance and inadequate safeguards for investors are hindering growth in Africa's renewable energy sector, despite perceived huge potential in the region.

Investors from Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America are lining up to tap Africa's lucrative renewable energy resources. Many among them are spending huge sums upfront on research and on extracting assurances from governments on future investment.

In some cases, future investors are helping to create legal frameworks where none exist.

The International Renewable Energy Agency said it will host high-level consultations in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, this week in a bid to jump-start broad-based cooperation on accelerating renewable energy use in Africa.

IRENA said such cooperation was necessary to seize emerging opportunities to speed up work on developing the resource on the continent.

"The issue is not shortage of funds for investment, but rather the inability of African markets to attract a substantial share of that investment," IRENA Assembly President Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber said.

"This is largely due to a lack of coherent and consistent policies, technical, regional and institutional capacity, enabling mechanisms and regulatory frameworks, making the region comparatively unattractive for entrepreneurs and investors," Al Jaber said.

The consultations will be Friday and Saturday in Abu Dhabi and will follow on commitments made by a Capital Markets Initiative, programs called CoP-17, Rio+20, and the International Year of Sustainable Energy For All, set for next year.

IRENA officials said 45 African countries, including about 30 African ministers and assistant ministers, had said they would attend.

Representatives from the African Union and non-African delegates will include U.N. organizations, China, India, France, Germany and the United Arab Emirates.

The oil-rich Emirates has been in the forefront of recent initiatives on promoting renewable energy. In addition to being IRENA president, Al Jaber is the Emirates' special envoy for Energy and Climate Change and will be aided by IRENA Director General Adnan Amin.

The ministerial meeting aims to push for development of scenarios and strategies for Africa and to launch a continent-wide effort to prepare African economies to try and ease current constraints in the deployment of renewable energy.

IRENA's 2011 work plan gave the continent priority as experts noted that Africa, which represents 15 percent of the world population, accounts for only 5 percent of global primary energy use. However, nearly half of that is traditional biomass, a major cause of health problems and deforestation.

The deterioration in quantity and quality of power distribution networks is impeding African development, the experts found.

An African Development Bank estimate said Africa needs $27 billion a year investment to achieve its goal of universal access to reliable and cleaner, electric power in all 53 countries by 2030. Current investment in energy in sub-Saharan Africa reaches around $2 billion a year.

"There is great potential for capitalizing on renewable resources in Africa provided that the right enabling environment is created," Amin said.




Related Links


.
Get Our Free Newsletters Via Email
...
Buy Advertising Editorial Enquiries






. Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle



ENERGY NEWS
Euro Bank launches $385M efficiency fund
Brussels (UPI) Jul 6, 2011
The European Investment Bank says it has launched a $385 million fund targeting energy efficiency project aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The new European Energy Efficiency Fund has pooled contributions from the European bank, the European Commission, the Italian bank Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and Deutsche Bank to invest in small-scale energy efficiency projects, EIB officia ... read more


ENERGY NEWS
Japan groups alarmed by radioactive soil

Japan minister quits over gaffe in fresh blow to PM

Passer-by saves China toddler in 10-storey fall

Japan names more Fukushima evacuation areas

ENERGY NEWS
Astrium awarded Galileo Full Operational Capability Ground Control Segment Contract

House Committee Acts to Halt LightSquared Proposal Until GPS Interference Issues Resolved

US Supreme Court to hear warrantless GPS case

Study Shows Interference with GPS Poses Major Threat to U.S. Economy

ENERGY NEWS
Clues to why 'they' all look alike

Finding showing human ancestor older than previously thought offers new insights into evolution

Fertility rates affected by global economic crisis

Genetic "Conductor" Involved With New Brain Cell Production in Adults

ENERGY NEWS
Mutations help organisms become kings of the mountain

Nearly 200 rhinos killed this year in South Africa: WWF

Sea urchins see with their whole body

A happy life is a long one for orangutans

ENERGY NEWS
India PM hails success in battle against HIV

New rapid test tells difference between bacterial and viral infections

MSF warns of cholera epidemic in DR Congo

Hong Kong confirms second scarlet fever death

ENERGY NEWS
Amnesty slams China over Xinjiang, two years after riots

Radiohead tests China's tightly controlled web

China's frustrated migrant workers rise up

Hong Kong journalists say freedom under threat

ENERGY NEWS
Denmark to hand over 24 pirates to Kenya for trial

Chinese ship released by pirates: EU

South Korea jails Somali pirates

US Navy recruits gamers to help in piracy strategy

ENERGY NEWS
Lagarde says debt among IMF top concerns

Australian cities among world's most expensive: survey

China vows to clean up local government debt

Walker's World: Ireland bouncing back


Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily Express :: SpaceWar Express :: TerraDaily Express :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News
.

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2011 - Space Media Network. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement