Theme: WHAT DOES BIOENERGY MEAN FOR AFRICA?

Date: August 20th - 11:00 BST/WAT ( 10:00 GMT, 12:00 CAT, 13:00 EAT)

Duration: 2.0 HOURS

Zoom participation link - https://zoom.us/j/95523854139?pwd=dXR6R2dJVEJEZ2VrZ3J6T2FIMG56QT09

The population of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is approximately 1 billion people, with an annual increase of around 2-4% per year, it has been estimated that that the population will have doubled by 2050. More than 40% of the population live in extreme poverty (poverty headcount ratio at $1.90 a day as defined by the World Bank, 2012). For the past 25 years, SSA has also experienced an increase of rural to urban migration. These rapidly changing demographics impact on many aspects of society including education, housing, land use and ownership, unemployment and in the availability and accessibility of energy.

Energy generation and accessibility is crucial to the continued development within SSA directly affecting the lives and livelihoods of those living in both urban and rural environments. In urban situations, much of the energy has come from the oil and gas sectors, while in rural settings there has been much greater reliance on biomass burning mainly in the form of fuelwood. In both settings, there are clear links to (i) environmental damage, (ii) illness and human health, (iii) unsustainable energy sources, (iv) cost, and (vi) subject to the fluctuations of international markets, especially for oil and gas. With the continued rise in populations and the reduction in traditional energy sources, energy security is under threat in SSA. Countries within SSA are looking for more efficient and affordable household energy that can support rural and urban environments. This is particularly pertinent to Africa’s poor generally and to certain groups within, namely women and young people. Further, bioenergy could help to combat deforestation, land degradation, and desertification. In this context, there have been various bioenergy initiatives implemented to increase access of rural and peri-urban populations to clean and sustainable energy.

In order to tackle these bioenergy challenges, Lancaster University has won two bio-energy aligned development projects for Africa – RECIRCIRCULATE (a 7 Million Pounds Capacity Building Project) and ACTUATE (a 800,000 Pounds Waste to Energy Demonstrator Plant Development Project). These project is being deployed in partnership with Nigerian (University of Benin) and Ghana (CSIR and Lancaster University Ghana campus) partners as Phase 1 partners and Phase 2 partners in Kenya (ATPS), Malawi (NCST), Zambia (Copperbelt University) and Botswana (BIUST).

The objectives of the Webinar therefore includes:

1. To highlight the objectives of the UK Government funded Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) 7 Million Pounds RECIRCULATE (Work Package 4 – Water for Energy) and the 800,000 Pounds ACTUATE Project and the projects progress so far in Africa.

2. To explore the challenges and opportunities for bioenergy in Africa.

3. Encourage bioenergy cross-learning between different African countries especially in relation to the current projects (RECIRCULATE and ACTUATE).

4. To provide an opportunity for further engagement with current and new stakeholders in different African countries for future collaborations, investments and development work.

Brief Programme

11.00 – 11.10 - Introduction of Participants/Stakeholders

– Moderated by Dr Akan Odon

11.10 – 11.20 Introduction to RECIRCULATE and ACTUATE

- Prof. Kirk Semple

11.20 – 11.35 Bioenergy Challenges and Opportunities – A Nigerian Case study

– Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye (Chair CGE Nigeria) and Mrs Nina C. Ani (CEO Avenam Links International)

11.35 – 11.45 Bioenergy Challenges and Opportunities – A Ghana Case Study

– Dr Richard Bayitse (Director CSIR)

11.45 – 11.55 Bioenergy and Gender Considerations

– Dr Mary Mwangi (Kenyatta University and Exec Sec. AWSE)

11.55 – 12.15 Stakeholder Interactions

12.15 – 12 30 Break-out Rooms

12.30 – 13.00 Q/A and Wrap Up – Led by Prof. Alastair Martin

Certificates of participation will be sent out following the event, please note that the name you use for Eventbrite is what will appear on this certificate.

PARTICIPATE WITH RECIRCULATE - International Bioenergy Webinar