Africa
THE Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in collaboration with the University of Namibia, has trained 71 national experts on energy modeling tools in Namibia.
The commission, in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, said the training was aimed at building efficient energy systems as Africa intensified its transition to low-carbon and climate-resilient development.
The statement said the training was Co-convened by the ECA and the Climate Compatible Growth (CCG).
According to the statement, Energy Modelling Platform for Africa (EMP-A) is a training programme designed to create optimised investments for the energy transition in Africa.
“The programme is also to ensure that the region meets its growing demand for low-carbon development,” he said.
The statement quoted Mr Linus Mofor, Senior Environmental Affairs Officer, Technology, Climate Change, and Natural Resources Management of ECA, as saying that “the EMP-A is timely.”
Acccording to him, it is held at a time when many African countries are working on their energy transition plans.
“I trust that the national experts will apply the modeling skills acquired to contribute to the formulation of these plans for optimal use of Africa’s abundant clean energy resources.
This will drive industrialisation and climate action on the continent.
The statement said Mekalia Paulos, from the ECA stated that the CCG programme was funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
It quoted Paulos as saying that “it was meant to support investment in sustainable energy and transport systems to meet development priorities in the Global South.
“The training brought together the energy planning and modeling community in Africa to share experiences, models, and data in climate, land, energy, and water systems.
“The trained professionals are expected to use the modeling tools for long-term energy planning and optimised investments in their respective countries.
Paulos further said that the training would assist experts to decide how best to use their energy resources to meet their national development imperatives towards sustainability and climate-resilient growth.
According to the statement, Mr Mrumbuso Nyoni, a Senior Engineer at the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (Zesco) said: “I am thrilled to have been a part of this milestone.
“It is a great honour, and a testament to the effectiveness of the programme.
“It not only empowers us to make informed decisions about our energy policy, but it also equips us with the skills to train others and promote sustainability in our communities.”
A Principal Engineer at Zesco, Yanda Hamilemba, said: “Experiencing this ‘Summer School’ has been an awesome and inspiring experience.
” It motivated me to learn more about the policies and power situation in sub-Saharan Africa beyond my own country of Zambia.”
Similarly, Shari Babajide, a research fellow from the West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL), expressed delight at the event.
A Planning Engineer at Kenya Power, said that: “This training has enabled me to learn and grow in ways I did not imagine,”
It said another participant in the training course, Fahd Isa, as saying that improving energy access in Africa in their context of SDG#7 goals required game-changing policies and investment.
“The goal should be pursued within the context of a transitioning energy system that leverages the continent’s immense clean energy potential while phasing-out carbon-intensive technologies and resources.
“It is estimated that energy transition goals that respect a 1.5°C scenario offer Africa a 6.4per cent higher long-term growth prospect than without transition.
“As we work to move our economies away from reliance on fossil fuels and towards low-carbon and renewable energy sources, it is critical to understand the drivers of this change holistically, their cost, capacity, availability, operational life, and trade-offs.”
Also Mark Howells, Director of CCG, expressed joy that professionals from African countries could use the training to retrain their countrymen and women in a self-sustainable way.
The statement said the first EMP-A training took place in 2018.
According to the statement, the 2023 edition is the fourth during which national experts are trained on the Global Electrification Platform, Energy and Flexibility Modelling.
They are also trained on Financial Planning of Energy Infrastructure and Investment as well as on the Model for Analysis of Energy Demand (MAED) and the energy balances.
It further said that the course attracted participants from Benin, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi and Namibia.
Other countries are Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. (NAN)
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Tags: Economic Commission for Africa Energy Modelling Platform for Africa Mark Howells Mekalia Paulos
