The time has come for communities around the world to switch to clean energy and begin the energy transition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

The Democratic Republic of Congo has huge potential and resources to facilitate the energy transition. The equivalent of fossil energy is undoubtedly renewable energy but this clean energy is much more advantageous especially as it has many protective virtues in terms of ecological balance and environmental safety.

With the two years of collapsing oil prices, natural gas and coal triggered the dramatic downsizing of industries, renewable energies are booming. Investment in clean energy broke new records in 2015 and is now twice as much as global fossil fuel financing. And the most seriously affected is coal.

If we want to avoid catastrophic climate change, we must quickly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Everything needs to be done to move to the energy transition to a 100% renewable energy-powered world.

Many countries are already developing policies to design and implement this transition, promoting offshore renewable sources such as solar, wind, hydropower, biomass, geothermal energy, etc. But there is still a lot to do.

Some African countries have already made considerable efforts, including Nigeria where the renewable energy development policy has made a lot of progress. This would avoid the use of generators in the long run and empower the most remote areas. South Africa has been a model for other countries in the region with regard to renewable energies. Its rapid implementation brings electricity to rural areas, and its accessibility is at a reduced cost.

It is therefore timely for the DRC to follow this path of energy transition to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases in the world.

When referring to the DRC, the share of traditional fuels (as a percentage of total consumption) was 80% in 1980; and in 1995, 91%. The corresponding figures for Congo are 56% and 51%. In the DRC, the pressure on traditional fuels (mainly wood and charcoal) is increasing.

In the DRC, it is wood that provides most of the energy the population needs. The consequences of these samples are considerable on the forest and on all the biophysical regulations (rainfall, hydrological, etc.) that depend on its operation. The DRC's high population growth in the coming years will further increase this pressure on forests.

According to UNDP figures, the population of the DRC, which was 48 million in 1997, will reach 80.3 million in 2015. The population growth rate in the DRC is one of the highest in the world. world, with 3.3%. According to UNDP, the total population of the DRC for 2002 was 51.2 million, but the forecast for 2015 had decreased; the population would reach 74.2 million; the 2002-2015 population growth rate is 2.8%.

The electrification rate is below 30% for the majority of African countries, compared with an average rate of 60% worldwide. In rural areas, the access rate to electricity is only 8% for sub-Saharan Africa, compared with a global average of 44%; we observe: 40% for Latin America; 80% for China.

In sub-Saharan Africa, electricity consumption remains low. It is around 500 kWh / year, compared to a global average of 2,500 kWh. 9,000 kWh / year for industrialized countries and 900 kWh / year for developing countries.

Based on the UNDP report, in the DRC, electricity consumption is particularly low. The report gives the following figures: Electricity consumption in 1996: DRC: 4.420 million kWh (4.42 GWh); Congo / Brazzaville: 553 GWh. Index for 1996 (base 100 = 1980):

With regard to the future of energy, two main avenues present themselves which should be borrowed simultaneously: - the use of new sources of energy, in particular renewable energies; - the search for energy efficiency in energy consumption.

1 ° The increase of efficiency in the use of energy, and in particular at the end of the energy cycle, by acting on the following plans: electrical accessories, types of vehicles, production processes etc. ;

2 ° The use of renewable energy sources, such as biomass (with non-traditional uses); in particular, the use of engines using fuels from waste (eg ethanol, non-pollutant) and hydrogen; photovoltaic energy; the wind ; geothermal energy; biogas; micro hydro power plants;

3 ° Advanced energy technologies. Renewable energies are the least expensive resource for certain uses, sites, regions and types of settlement.

In the long term, they are the only ones that are compatible with sustainable development, either because of their renewable nature (eg, biomass), or because of their unlimited nature over time and their local, independent availability external constraints; this is the case, for example, with solar and wind energy.

Greater use of renewable energies is one of the necessary conditions for achieving sustainable development. In fact, they offer advantages for solving energy, environmental and economic and social development problems.

Renewable energies are based on the exploitation of natural energy flows: - solar radiation (solar energy); - the water cycle (hydraulic energy); micro hydro power plants - the wind cycle (wind energy); - the carbon cycle in the biosphere (biomass energy) biogas; - the flow of the internal heat of the Earth (geothermal energy); - the effect of lunar and solar attractions on the oceans (tidal energy).

Exploiting natural flows, it is therefore inexhaustible and often free energy that is used, unlike fossil or free mineral energy (coal, oil, natural gas, uranium).

Electricity deserves special attention because it can provide access to lighting, the driving force and the processing and transmission of information for education, training, culture, recreation and professional activities.

Methanogenic digesters make it possible to transform biomass in the light of residues from livestock and agriculture; domestic waste in biogas, fuel, and fertilizer (waste sludge: digested residue cleaned up).

Flux-energies, such as heat or electricity, are difficult to store, as opposed to energy-materials: gas, oil, coal. Biomass is an example of natural storage of solar energy. It can also be transformed into biofuels (biogas, ethanol, digester, etc.) or hydrogen (by electrolysis of water using photovoltaic electricity, for example).

Renewable energies do not emit greenhouse gases, even in the case of rational exploitation of biomass, where the carbon emission / fixation ratio can be almost balanced. Their impact on the local environment is limited, never irreversible and always limited to the period of exploitation.

The diversity of renewable energies is associated with the complementarity of the deposits; the sun, the wind, the water, the biomass. The good geographical distribution of these energies allows their decentralized use, both spatially and at the level of decision-makers: families, villages, cities, regions and countries.

This decentralized use of renewable energies makes it possible, and above all, to provide the minimum of "modern" energy services in places where conventional power distribution networks do not often penetrate (isolated, isolated, inaccessible regions, etc.).

Required techniques include: - traditional techniques (firewood); - methanogenic digesters (biogas); - hydro-electric turbines ("hydraulic"); - wind turbines (wind turbines); - solar collectors (solar thermal); - biofuels and biofuels; - photocells and photovoltaic modules (solar electric).

Solar and wind energy still account for only 2% of the global energy balance, but their growth is 30%. 

This growth is the result of several factors: predictable scarcity of fossil fuels (especially oil); impact on the greenhouse effect and other pollution (corresponding to externalities); higher taxes (reflecting externalities and reducing consumption).

Whenever taxes or incentives have been put in place, the result has been largely positive for renewable energies.

The contribution of renewable energies remains below 20%, total global primary energy needs; they break down as follows: - 6% for hydroelectricity (2.300 tWh / year or 510 M toe) 13; - 13% for biomass (1.3 Gtoe including 1.1 Gtoe in developing countries, mainly in the form of fuelwood).

For Africa, from the Lagos Plan to the Cairo Plan of Action, African priorities emphasize the use of renewable forms of energy (especially solar). However, progress in this area is slow. In addition, more emphasis should be placed on finding solutions that are energy efficient. We must aim to better respond to the needs of the population at lower cost, particularly in rural areas.

The DRC must enter into the logic of the energy transition to join the list of countries fighting against climate change and greenhouse gas emissions.

Cassien Tribunal Aungane / Editor

06 September 2019

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