Where Claims of Cheaper Renewable Energy Will Die – Watts Up With That?

Essays by Eric Worrall

If renewable energy is the cheapest form of energy, then why is Africa rushing to use gas, while green organizations in the developed world scramble for climate finance to convince Europeans to use renewable energy? African building renewable energy alternative?

Africa has huge gas reserves – here’s how to prevent them from changing the climate

Published: November 16, 2022 4:18 a.m. AEDT

Chukwumerije OkerekeProfessor of Environment and Development, University of Reading
Sokona YoubaVice-Chancellor du GIEC et professeur honoraire, UCL

The question of whether Africa should be allowed to exploit its gas reserves, estimates at more than 17.56 trillion cubic meters (620 trillion cubic feet) in 2021, much discussed at the latest United Nations climate change summit, COP27, in Sharm El-Sheikh , Egypt.

Former US Vice President Al Gore use his speech at the opening session to call for an end to all fossil fuel investment globally, including in Africa. But Macky Sall, president of Senegal and president of the African Union, Debate at the same time that Africa needs space in Earth’s dwindling carbon budget to use its resources for development.

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One research published in 2021 shows that the lack of financing, or the high cost of access, creates a large gap between the theoretical and actual costs of generating renewable energy in Africa. And, if African countries can diversify their energy portfolios with gas, that will increase energy resilience and strengthen the rights of African countries to make their own decisions about energy production, distribution and consumption as they deem appropriate. .

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Read more: https://theconversation.com/africa-has-vast-gas-reserves-heres-how-to-stop-them-adding-to-climate-change-194473

If renewable energy is the cheapest form of energy, surely the solution is to refuse to fund Africa, not to provide more. That way, will they be forced to embrace cheap renewable energy instead of rushing to tap their “huge gas reserves”? /sarc

Irrationality like this makes it perfectly clear claims of cheap renewable energy are meaningless. Otherwise, there would be no need for the COP conference, government-funded grid upgraderrenewable energy target certificateand other renewable energy initiatives.

If renewables were the cheapest form of energy, there would be no exploitation of untapped gas reserves. People in Africa and elsewhere will flock to renewable energy of their own free will.