(661a) Renewable Energy Assessment and Its Integration in Angola

Generally, the predictable exhaustion of fossil fuels, the necessity of fighting against global warming, the awareness of the protection of the environment and the consideration of sustainable development in energy policies put the renewable energies in the heart of a strategic stake for the future of our planet. The challenge of transforming entire economies is enormous; even more so if a country is as fossil fuel based and emission intensive as in the case of Angola (which is the second major producer of Oil and Gas in sub-Saharan Africa). However, in an increasingly carbon constrained world and already now facing climate change impacts, Angola has to reduce greenhouse gas emissions intensity soon and decidedly. For the Republic of Angola, with decelerating annual GDP growth, it is almost vital to exploit its potential in renewable energies to ensure the continuous economic growth, to realize savings of currencies and to achieve the Millennium human development goals.

The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), of which Angola is a member, has recently adopted the White Paper of CEEAC Communauté Economique des États de l’Afrique Centrale and CEMAC (Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa) on a Regional policy for universal access to modern energy services, economic and social development (2014-2030), adopting specific targets regarding energy access, energy efficiency and renewable energies – in line with the Sustainable Energy for All initiative.

Unfortunately, the country knows the same energy situation of the countries of central Africa where the energy is plentiful but electricity is rare! Indeed, the current energy balance of the country is strongly overdrawn. 97% of the energy needs of the population are satisfied by oil productions and 95% of the Angolans households use the distillate fuel oil, diesel, motor gasoline and kerosene as domestic fuel. The cover rate for the electricity network is very low, about 43% (6.34 GW). Only 0.6% of the electricity production (with a total capacity installed of 40 MW) is made from a unique source of renewable energy (the biomass energy-sugarcane).

Nevertheless, the country has an important potential in renewable energies. At the level of the photovoltaic solar energy (PV), the technically exploitable solar potential is estimated to be between 1.355 and 2.068 kWh/m²/year. At the level of the wind energy, the estimation of the currently exploitable potential is 3.7 GW and yet no form of wind energy (where the wind at a height of 80 meters above the ground reaches average speeds of more than 6 meters per second) is exploited in the country. At the level of the geothermal energy, the technically exploitable potential is not yet known (case to be studied) together with the tidal energy, also not yet estimated, potential exists and could be exploited in regions of the coast of Angola.

The energy plan for renewable energy integration that we propose, places a significant focus on the solar energy. Indeed, this one possesses advantages which the other forms of renewable energies do not have: it is a basic energy, present throughout the year in the entire country with ten months of sun, susceptible to be exploited for the production of the heat and electricity production. The overall electricity plan which we propose is the following one: on the horizon to 2025, we consider that the electricity demand will be situated near to 9.9 GW. Therefore, we recommend 45% of fossil fuels and natural gas (with a substitutable option in warm period by the electricity imported from Namibia to supply the south of Angola) and 25 GW of renewable energies (composed of 69.2% solar energy, 14.8% from biomass – sugar cane, 15.6% of wind energy and geothermal and tidal energies being the rest).