We are pleased to invite you to join the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center on Tuesday, November 29th, from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM ET for the second of three private roundtables on the future of the bioeconomy in Africa. This private, virtual roundtable will convene key stakeholders to discuss the role of biofuels to decarbonize Africa’s transportation sector and key takeaways on biofuels from COP27.
In a volatile energy market caused by Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, coupled with decarbonization efforts, biofuels and bio-based products offer a sustainable and low-carbon solution to reduce global dependence on fossil fuels. As the United States and Europe work quickly to decarbonize air travel and electrify ground transportation, African nations are exploring applications of biofuels to meet immediate energy consumption needs without raising carbon emissions. In particular, biofuels can help reduce African dependence on petroleum and charcoal for transportation, chemicals, materials, and cooking fuels. The bioeconomy presents an opportunity for sustainable investment in African countries that are working to decarbonize while simultaneously accelerating economic growth.
Over 50 percent of light duty vehicles in Africa are imported from the US, Europe, and Japan. The largely low quality and aging fleet use gasoline and fossil diesel, many of which fall below US and EU emissions standards and cause harm to the environment and human health. While most African countries have implemented some standards for imported second hand vehicles, the standards vary by country – including age limits and emissions standards.
It is expected that energy use for road transport in Africa will increase by almost 40 percent over the next decade. While there is momentum in Africa to electrify road vehicles, in particular two/three-wheelers or buses using solar PV and battery swapping stations, deployment of charging infrastructure limits transportation electrification prospects in Africa in the near term. Beyond road transport, the aviation industry will have to transition to sustainable aviation fuels to remain on track to meet climate goals.
While there is no near term solution to large scale deployment of electric vehicles in Africa, what role can biofuels play in lowering emissions in the African transport sector? Can biofuels create an enabling environment to improve African fuel standards in the near term and decarbonize the transport sector in the long term? What enabling environment is necessary to scale biofuel production for transport in Africa?
Please register here to receive Zoom information and a full program agenda. You will be able to join this conversation via the Zoom web application Zoom, the Zoom desktop or mobile app, and by phone.
Agenda
A conversation with
Tjasa Bole-Rentel
Business Case Development Manager
Enertrag South Africa Ltd.
Jinlei Feng
Programme Officer, Policy Advice
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
Andrew Kamau
Principal Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum & Mining,
Government of Kenya
Marco Margheri
Head of US Relations
Eni
Jeffrey Moore
Managing Director, Office of Development Credit
US Development Finance Corporation
Arnaud Rouget
Africa Programme Manager
International Energy Agency
Moderated by
