Chapter 5. Paradigm for RE Deployment
5.1 Key Issues and Imminent Tasks for RE Development
5.1.1 Key issues
5.1.1.1 Stable energy supply
Cameroon is experiencing energy supply shortages because of the rapidly increasing population and economic growth. Moreover, achieving the economic and social goals proposed in Vision 2035 is dependent highly on energy; therefore, the energy demand is expected to increase sharply. An estimation based on the GDP proposed in Vision 2035 and the energy consumption per GDP indicates that energy consumption is expected to increase by 8.2% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2010 to 2035.
The national oil reserves have shown an increasing trend since 2010; however, there was a decreasing trend for a while entering the 2000s. Furthermore, the import of crude oil is increasing because of the increased petroleum consumption. This implies that it is difficult to increase the energy supply to accommodate the rapid economic development and population increase under the current energy supply system. If the situation were to continue, it would become a serious obstacle constraining the implementation of Vision 2035.
5.1.1.2 Responding to climate change
Cameroon is actively participating in the global efforts to combat climate change and has declared its intention to reduce GHG emissions through the INDC. To this end, Cameroon has set aggressive reduction targets for the energy sector. As mentioned above, a sharp increase in energy is required for the socioeconomic development proposed in Vision 2035. However, increasing the consumption of fossil fuels implies increasing the amount of GHG emissions. Accordingly, the quandary for Cameroon is increasing its energy supply significantly while reducing the GHG emissions associated with energy consumption.
5. Paradigm for RE Deployment
5.1.1.3 Disparity in energy accessibility
Cameroon has a small population scattered over a large land area. As the energy transmission and distribution network does not cover the entire country, many residents in remote areas do not have access to the grid. As was emphasized in the PDER, the government of Cameroon is concerned about the disparity in accessibility to the grid between the urban and rural areas, despite 74% of citizens having access to electricity. Accessibility to electricity in the southern region is at 88%, whereas only 47% of people in the northern region have such accessibility (MINEE, 2016, p.15). Obviously, without electricity, accessibility to modern conveniences is blocked fundamentally. This negatively affects education and training, particularly, because of the lack of lighting for study at night. Furthermore, owing to difficulties in keeping medical supplies under refrigeration in hospitals and health clinics, health and environmental problems could occur, which could result in economic losses. In short, a shortfall in electricity access not only causes social issues but also influences the economy profoundly.
5.1.1.4 Energy supply and demand structure
The energy supply structure of Cameroon is biased toward few energy sources, as 90% of the total primary energy is oil and bioenergy. In the case of oil, the consumption of oil products has increased rapidly, while the production of the commodity has declined. The share of imported crude oil input in refining was 97%, causing high dependency on imports that could result, eventually, in exposing the energy supply and economy to the volatility of international oil prices.
Bioenergy, at 44% of the entire primary energy supply, mostly comprises conventional biomass, such as firewood, charcoal, and animal manure, and is used mainly for cooking. Unlike modern biomass, such as biogas, biodiesel, and wood pellets, combusting traditional biomass causes significant indoor pollution. This harmful smoke is considered to lead to approximately 3.1 million human deaths annually worldwide.
Moreover, in LDCs, women and children spend 20 hours per week on average to collect the biomass.
Although traditional biomass is classified as RE, the international community is emphasizing the importance of modern energy, i.e., modern biomass, because of the attendant drawbacks of tradition biomass.
Furthermore, Cameroon needs to diversify its energy mix to solve the biased structure of the energy supply mix and to convert the high proportion of traditional biomass supply into modern biomass.
5.1.1.5 RE policy execution structure
Under the current regulatory regime in Cameroon, the Laws on the Electricity Sector (2011/022) contains articles on the promotion and development of RE. As previously mentioned, there is no independent plan for RE deployment, which is divided and included in various other plans. The primary department dealing with RE policy is the Renewable Energy and Energy Management Department of MINEE; however, various organizations and departments, such as AER, MINFOF, and ANAFOR are formulating their own RE polices with different purposes. Once consistency in the various the plans, communication, and collaboration is established between the relevant organizations, the existing plans and policies can be executed effectively.
However, there are frequent conflicts between the various plans and conflicts of interest between the departments leading to roadblocks in the execution of plans related to RE. It is difficult to maintain communication and collaboration between the various interested parties and this matter is highly politicized.
Eventually, it is likely that the latter situation will occur when the scale and complexity of RE deployment increase. To prepare for these situations, it is important to merge and clarify the dispersed policy execution structures to improve stability. For example, the controlling role of the central implementing body must be institutionalized and role division between the relevant institutions should be clarified to minimize the possibility of conflicts. An alternative solution could be to create an independent and professional institution to oversee all the other relevant organizations. It is also important to place these solutions under regulatory umbrellas. Whichever method is chosen, periodic comprehensive reconsidering and streamlining of the RE policy regulations are required.
5.1.1.6 RE deployment infrastructure
Carrying out the RE policies to achieve the deployment goals and encouraging relevant industries require a relevant infrastructure for policy implementation and business investment. For example, without professional human resources to oversee the installation, management, and operations of RE the deployment of such energy would be insignificant. Furthermore, related statistics and data must be accumulated to set realistic policies and streamline implementing such policies,
In the beginning stages of RE deployment, government-led deployment is unavoidable; however, if the expanding deployment increases the financial burden on the government, market functions must be strengthened to attract private participation. To attract domestic and foreign investors, tariff structures must be revised and markets must be designed so that sufficient reward is provided for investment risks. If there are inadequate rewards in the market, additional support must be considered through tax incentives. In addition, to facilitate seamless investment funding, financial market functions must be strengthened.
Moreover, the continuity of policies and institutions must be maintained to increase predictability. In addition, to increase the deployment of RE and secure domestic and foreign investors, a diverse range of infrastructure must be put in place.
5.1.2. Key tasks in the RE sector
Key issues in the RE sector of Cameroon are, sustainable energy supply, responding to climate change, disparity in energy accessibility, modernizing the energy supply and demand structure, RE policy implementation structure, and RE deployment infrastructure. The first four issues pertain to energy supply and consumption, with one of common solutions being to switch to RE. Replacing fossil energy can contribute to sustainable energy supply and carbon-free RE is the most effective method of combatting climate change. RE, by nature, is a dispersed resource, and, therefore, it is an optimal solution to providing power to isolated areas, where grid connection is difficult. RE comprises various energy sources and is therefore appropriate for diversification of energy sources. RE, such as solar PV, wind, and hydropower does not require inputs and could therefore reduce the dependency on foreign resources. Moreover, it is not exposed to the risk of fluctuating international oil prices. Clean RE can replace traditional biomass, thereby contributing to improving the quality of life of the population.
The remaining two issues relate to implementation structure of deploying RE. The government of Cameroon understands the role and importance of RE, and, therefore, various plans and policies allude to the deployment of RE. However, as observed previously, streamlining of the structure for efficient deployment of RE is necessary, along with the relevant infrastructure.
[Figure 5-1] The main challenges in the renewable energy sector
The relevant urgent tasks can be summarized mainly into three areas. The first task is to build a sustainable energy supply structure through the deployment of RE. This means building a national energy supply system, which is not vulnerable to highly volatile international oil prices, by utilizing the abundant local RE resources. In areas already connected to the grid, the fossil energy source should be replaced by constructing large-scale RE electricity-generation facilities. Deploying off-grid small-scale RE facilities is necessary and simultaneously constructing small-scale electricity distribution network is needed for areas not connected to the grid.
The second task is responding to climate change, which is recognized in the INDC of Cameroon. The government has committed to achieve the goal of reducing GHG emissions by 32% from the reference case emission volume in 2035, where RE plays important role in GHG reduction of 4,684 ktCO2-eq in energy sector. The government has to design and implement the detailed plans to achieve the GHG reduction target in energy sector by deployment of RE.
Ultimately, the aforementioned relate to the endeavor to improve the quality of life of all the people of the country. By supplying electricity to remote areas through the distributed generation resources, the government will not only provide access to modern conveniences but also contribute to the socio-economic upliftment of disadvantaged communities. In addition, the government has the challenge of providing equitable health benefits to its people by replacing traditional biomass with clean energy generation and supplying electricity, for example, to run the refrigerators at health clinics in remote areas. Deploying RE should contribute directly to the achievement of Vision 2035 and, ultimately, improve the standard of living and quality of life by inducing socioeconomic and institutional changes.