Energy Transition Agenda in Tanzania Within the Auspice of Sub-Saharan Africa: A Review of the Power Sector

Abstract

The energy transition is on the high agenda in the global space to allow the international communities to meet the global objectives of lowering anthropogenic emissions that cause global warming. The international community is guided by the scientific evidence of increasing climate change impacts and is working under the auspice of the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit GHG emissions. As one of the significant contributors to GHG emissions, energy will play a critical role by shifting from dependence on fossil-based sources to renewables and using technologies to decarbonize the sources. Energy transition in the power sector is primarily associated with shifting towards directing investments in renewable energy. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is still a niche market in the power sector with substantial suppressed demand, and where only about half of its population still does not have access to electricity. The region also strives to power its economic activities to support economic growth. The region is endowed with renewables and fossil fuels to support its economic transformation. Investment in renewable energy entails high capital costs, which makes it hard for the countries in the region with financial constraints to afford it. Renewables also have some limitations in supplying baseloads and are inherent to issues of dispatchability. Countries in SSA have been approaching the energy transition agenda with care to address local needs while supporting international climate change concerns. The energy transition agenda in countries like Tanzania considers multidimensional factors when investing in the power sector, primarily fostering universal access to electricity for its population, attaining security of supply, and accelerating industrial development. This paper reviews what the transition entails in the context of sources and technologies that will support the sustainable transition; it discusses renewable energy and energy efficiency. It also touches upon the role of fossil fuels in the energy transition agenda. The paper also reviews the policies and politics around the energy transition landscape, looking at the global context and its effects in the developing world, notably the sub-Saharan Africa region. The review concludes by analyzing different potential factors that contribute to decision-making on energy transition policies using the system thinking theory, looking at how various factors are interlinked.