A techno-economic and environmental assessment of a low-carbon power generation system in Cameroon

Abstract

In attempt to address the power sector issues, provide energy necessary to attain its developmental goals and meet its international commitments, Cameroon has developed several policies and masterplans. However, these policy directives haven't had the desired effect with the issues persisting and the nation falling short of intended milestones. This research analyses the implications of stated and clean energy policies on the future electricity generation system of Cameroon. The study uses the Schwartz's methodology for scenario development and the Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) to model the reference scenario and three alternative scenarios that describe various policy directives. These scenarios are assessed based on total installed capacity, economic competitiveness, and associated environmental benefits. The results indicate Cameroon's generation capacity in 2045 would need to grow by over 800% under the Reference scenario. This growth would be at a cumulative cost of $3377 million and associated greenhouse gas emissions of 82.6 MTCO2e. Furthermore, only 13.11% renewable energy target would be achieved. The study also shows that higher renewable energy targets result in significant economic and emission savings compared to the Reference scenario. Therefore, Cameroon should reassess its power sector masterplans and intensify efforts to increase uptake of renewables.