A Contribution to the Green New Deal: The Age of Hybrid Energy Systems - Africa Edition

In our times, human beings have started to see climate change and the energy mix in a related way for the first time in history. At the same time, we need to consider that oil & gas deposits have a finite nature. Therefore, the participants of the climate conference COP28 in Dubai made the decision in December 2023 to transition away from fossil fuels in the course of the coming decades.

One year later, representatives from the Global South asked industrial nations at the COP29 in Baku/Azerbaijan to up the ante in mobilizing financial North-South transfers. They demanded an increase of todays’ annual target of $100 billion that was embedded in the Paris Accord to a new annual target of $1.3 trillion p.a. by year 2035.

Representatives from Northern industrial states have offered to ramp up the support for the Global South to a level of $300 billion p.a. by 2035. The planning and implementation of this ambitious goal will become a win-win solution for both sides if it will be realized. It could become possible if superpowers from the West and East will defuse their tensions by conducting meaningful talks.

If, for example, European leaders will not focus on the development of the energy economy in the Global South, then up to one billion migrants could try to reach European shores by 2050.

How can the striving for a gradual decarbonization and the recognition of further issues be translated into a conclusive approach?

Since the bulk of the migrants will come from Africa, it makes sense to focus on the development of Africa’s energy economy. The indigenous name of Africa is Al-ke-bulan the meaning “Mother of Mankind” respectively “Garden of Eden”. From there, human mankind set out to populate the world.
We are all connected to Africa.
Therefore, it makes sense to start a green revolution on the African continent, where innovative methods and solution can prove their value under sometimes adverse and extreme conditions.
Once they will have reached market maturity, they can be rolled out worldwide.

Renewable energy is yet in a nascent stage in Africa. However, the continent has an immense, largely untapped potential in this field that could serve especially Sub-Saharan countries to cater for the needs of the rapidly growing population.

A greater access to energy means more opportunities in the fields of power supply, mobility and heating/cooling. An improved power supply will offer a larger supply of clean water and healthy food.
In general, it means a better life for all!

This could become possible by developing and implementing hybrid energy systems, which can be supported by interconnected smart grids. Once they will be available, they could be continuously optimized by new discoveries and ingenious innovations.