Global Perspectives on Community Energy for a Just Transition : The Case for UK-Africa Community Energy Twinning

Eales, Aran (2024) Global Perspectives on Community Energy for a Just Transition : The Case for UK-Africa Community Energy Twinning. Community Energy and the Sustainable Energy Transition (CESET), Sheffield.

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Abstract

Community Energy Systems (CES) offer low carbon, affordable and secure supply of energy and promise to play a key role in climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts as well as contributing to universal access to all. Both the UK and Africa can benefit from the principles of community energy systems, albeit in different ways. In the UK, the focus has been on transitioning to low-carbon energy in a manner that promotes social equity and local empowerment while in Africa the emphasis is on providing essential energy access while fostering sustainable development and community resilience. A just transition through community energy systems recognises the diverse needs and contexts of different regions, ensuring that the shift to renewable energy is inclusive and equitable on a global scale. This report examines the potential for a community energy twinning initiative between UK and African CES to address energy access challenges and promote sustainable development. With approximately 600 million people in Africa lacking access to electricity, particularly in rural areas, innovative solutions such as minigrids and decentralised energy systems are essential to meet the continent's electrification goals. Minigrids are a viable alternative to extending national grids, providing reliable, affordable electricity in remote regions. Despite their promise, economic barriers—such as a lack of access to financing— hinder the deployment of these systems, and systems that do not integrate community dynamics suffer sustainability challenges. Inclusive governance and financing models that integrate the needs of local communities are needed to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of these initiatives. The proposed CES twinning initiative focuses on fostering partnerships between successful community energy projects in the UK and emerging leaders in renewable energy access in Africa. This collaboration aims to fund and implement minigrid solutions in underserved areas, leveraging the expertise and resources of UK projects to support energy access initiatives abroad. The initiative seeks to enhance local energy infrastructure while facilitating bi-directional knowledge exchange, allowing partners to learn from each other's experiences, challenges, and best practices in community-led renewable energy efforts. By promoting collaboration, the twinning initiative aspires to empower communities, improve energy resilience, and drive sustainable development across regions. A discussion asks how best to facilitate partnerships between established UK CES and African mini-grid developers and how to structure financial support, research, and knowledge exchange initiatives to ensure the success and sustainability of these collaborations. To support these efforts, key policy recommendations are outlined including establishing bilateral agreements between the UK and African nations to facilitate cooperation, creating joint funding programs to pool resources, implementing tax incentives for investors, and promoting knowledge exchange initiatives. The report concludes that collaboration between UK and African CES presents a unique opportunity to address energy inequities and promote climate justice. By leveraging shared knowledge, technology, and resources, these partnerships can enhance energy resilience in underserved communities while contributing to global efforts to combat climate change. The outlined strategies and recommendations aim to create a supportive framework that fosters investment, encourages community engagement, and empowers local populations, ultimately paving the way for a just and equitable energy transition.

ORCID iDs

Eales, Aran ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9090-529X;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)