There is no one-size-fits-all solution to South Africa’s energy deficiency challenge, as each country has its own unique systems and geographical concerns. South Africa needs to find its own solution which will help find a balance between sources of supply and available technologies, in which skilled engineers have a big role to play. 

This was highlighted at GIBB-hosted roundtable discussion with Frost & Sullivan on the future of gas in sub-Saharan Africa.

GIBB embarked on a study from the perspective of understanding the infrastructure gap associated with supply and distribution of the gas to enable the firm to strategically respond with engineering and sustainability solutions.

The insights shared during the discussions included how the current development of regional gas-fields will ultimately lead to natural gas being a solution to the energy crisis that sub-Saharan Africa is facing. The study took a twenty year view, including projects that were currently in conceptual feasibility, design and construction phase.

Paul Fitzsimons, General Manager: Power and Energy Sector at GIBB believes that there are many reasons why the continent is faced with an energy crisis. A key challenge is the development of bankable projects which require developers upfront on potentially high risk projects that may not prove to be commercially viable. This coupled with policy inertia related to private investment and access to energy grids, and the lack of structural reform, all contribute to the state of the energy supply.

The World Energy Council has defined energy sustainability based on three core dimensions – an energy trilemma – to assist countries in achieving power continuity. The trilemma framework interweaves three main links which are: energy security, energy equity, and environmental sustainability. None of the three dimensions can exist successfully without the other, and each has equal weighing. All three components need to be met to ensure there is longevity and energy security in the country.

“The trilemma serves as a great framework for which to establish a collaborative and conjoined effort, building a cohesive and constructive foundation to revamp South Africa’s energy resources. Ultimately, there is no one sure fire method that will be the answer to South Africa’s current energy deficiency. We need to explore the different energy source options available. We can then learn from and improve what does and does not work,” said Dr Urishanie Govender, GIBB’s Director and General Manager for Environment and Sustainability.

Economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa needs to be matched by energy investment in gas as a key energy source in plugging sub-Saharan Africa’s energy deficit. The opportunity could result in a gas infrastructure investment of greater than $200 billion over the next 20 years which will mean energy security will translate to economic and development upliftment.

Govender concluded, “The challenge that we need to overcome is the stagnant and lack of policy infrastructure, planning and stumbling blocks of uncertainty that are holding back projects in South Africa,”