Chapter 5. Paradigm for RE Deployment
5.2 RE Deployment Paradigm
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.
[Figure 5-2] Renewable energy development paradigm (vision, goals and strategies)
5.2.2 Policy Goals
The qualitative goals of the ACT4RE are the following. First, accessibility is a comprehensive concept that means the provision of access to all economic entities, with sufficient quantity of energy, at the right time, and at affordable prices. The economic entities here include the citizens of Cameroon, as well as energy consumers in the industrial sector, the service sector, and the agricultural sector. Accordingly, this concept includes simultaneous solutions to the disparity in energy access rate of rural and urban areas and the unstable and insufficient energy supply. Second, CO2 or carbon reduction means the national commitment for the reduction of CO2, as indicated in the INDC of Cameroon. Third, transformation refers to the concept that legal and institutional changes for RE deployment induce positive changes in the energy supply and demand system and, ultimately, contribute to the positive transformation of the entire socioeconomic system. Such transformation includes, for example, improved health and employment opportunities for the people of Cameroon. RE is considered the only energy that could meet all three qualitative goals.
The three qualitative goals can be realized through four quantitative goals. The first quantitative goal is the target set for RE electricity generation in the total national electricity generation mix of Cameroon. The government already announced its intention in the INDC to supply 25% of total electricity with RE by 2035.
The second quantitative goal is the electricity access rate of the people in Cameroon, which the PDER sets at a target of 98% by 2035. Achieving this goal is planned through the expansion of generation capacities and the transmission and distribution infrastructure. However, the current role of RE in the PDER is minimal and only intended for people in off-grid areas. It is impossible to achieve the renewable electricity deployment goal of the INDC through the current PDER framework. To achieve the goals of INDC and PDER simultaneously, a large portion of the fossil fuel generation projects in the PDER would have to be replaced by RE projects. This implies that RE must play a larger role and contribute more to achieve the electricity access rate than the PDER has suggested. It is suggested that small localities with population less than 500 people, especially in remote area from existing power grid (for example, more than 10 km), should be considered for deploying distributed RE generation with independent mini-grid, instead of grid connection.
The third quantitative goal is to replace the traditional biomass use in the household sector, especially the energy for cooking, with modern RE. Fifty percent is simply an arbitrary proposition, and the exact goal must be set after consultation with the government of Cameroon. This implies that the resolve of the government of Cameroon will be reflected in this goal. The last quantitative goal is the GHG reduction target in the RE sector. The 3,457 kt CO2-eq target was indicated by the INDC and could be achieved through the RE deployment target of 25%.
5.2.3 Policy Implementation Strategies
The vision and goals can be achieved through various policy measures and programs, grouped into four categories or policy implementation strategies. In this subsection, each policy measure in the four groups is explained briefly, with detailed description provided in Chapter 6 Policy Measures and Programs. The first strategy is the establishment of a legal and institutional foundation for the deployment of RE. This includes the enactment of RE promotion law, government organizations, and governance revision structures, as well as strengthening the regional governments.
The second strategy focuses on the actual RE deployment programs and detailed items include the following. It was recommended that the Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) be set up to deploy RE to the rural areas. Grid-connected RE deployment programs were recommended and mandatory RE installation program for public institutions was included.
The third strategy constitutes support policies for implementing the actual RE deployment programs.
Detailed support programs include the introduction of feed-in tariffs, subsidies and loans programs for RE, and the recommendation of tax-credit support programs.
The fourth strategy is the establishment of infrastructure required for deploying RE. Detailed programs include strengthening human resources and professional institutions, establishing a system to provide information and statistics and assessing RE resource potential in regional level.
The financing and investment sources to carry out the above-mentioned actual RE deployment projects and introduction of policy measures and programs, as well as establishment of infrastructure, were provided in detail. It includes both domestic and foreign sources of finance.
The four strategies cover the development and implementation aspects of the RE projects, as well as financing aspects for the short- and mid-term. They also cover the ultimate measures in which private investors could participate in the RE projects without support from the government in the long-term. These four strategies are connected closely with each other and the vision of ACT4RE can be achieved effectively when they reinforce each other with synergy.
The last issue that needs to be emphasized is the importance of energy demand management in the energy policies. The REMP has focused on the energy supply side and set the deployment targets with policy measures. As indicated in the next section below, the targets are set fairly aggressively, requiring a high level of financial resources, which could be challenging to mobilize. One of solutions for this challenge is to reduce the overall energy demand in Cameroon by implementing energy saving, efficiency, and conservation policies. This would reduce energy consumption, and, in turn, the installed capacity of RE
actively than that already planned. The RE organizations and policies suggested below should be added, with functions that can incorporate energy saving, efficiency and conservation policies.