2. Energy Use, Economy, and Carbon Emissions
2. Energy Use, Economy, and Carbon
Emissions
1997 Fuel
Consumption Mix
1997 Fuel
Production Mix
Overall
Energy Balance ...
Energy
Consumption and Carbon Emissions per Dollar of GDP ...
Energy Consumption per Capita ...
Energy-Related Carbon Emissions Patterns ...
Sectoral Energy Consumption ...
Sectoral
Carbon Emissions ...
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Energy consumption patterns vary greatly between southern Africa and the rest of Africa. Most significantly, southern Africa depends heavily (68%) on coal, while the rest of Africa is dominated (60%) by oil.
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Oil makes up about 45% of overall African commercial energy consumption. This share is lowest in southern Africa (24%) compared to 60% in the rest of Africa.
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Coal makes up the next greatest share (31%) of African energy consumption. Coal’s share is by far the highest in southern Africa, particularly South Africa (74%) and Zimbabwe (57%). Coal also makes up a significant share of energy consumption in Niger (27%) and Morocco (18%). Coal is used heavily for power generation in southern Africa.
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Natural gas, the use of which requires extensive pipeline systems, accounts for 18% of African commercial fuel consumption. Gas is used most heavily in North Africa and West Africa, where gas is produced, and lowest (2%) in southern Africa.
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Hydroelectricity and geothermal electricity account for about 5.5% of consumption in Africa. Almost all of this is hydroelectricity, distributed widely throughout Africa, with the largest single consumer being Egypt. Geothermal electricity is used in Ethiopia and Kenya.
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Only South Africa has nuclear power production. Overall, nuclear power accounts for 1% of African energy demand.
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Africa’s fuel consumption mix is dominated by traditional, “non-commercial” fuels (i.e., wood and animal waste). “Commercial” fuels (oil, natural gas, coal, hydroelectricity, nuclear power) make up only about one-third of Africa’s total energy consumption.
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Africa produces significant amounts of commercial energy -- about the same amount as South America. Energy production varies greatly by subregion within Africa. Most importantly, oil and gas make up 23% of southern African energy production, compared to 97% in the rest of Africa.
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Nearly two-thirds of Africa’s commercial energy output is oil. Oil production (including crude oil and natural gas liquids) is heavily concentrated, with 5 countries (Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Libya, and Nigeria) accounting for 88% of the continent’s total oil output.
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Coal accounts for slightly less than one-fifth of African energy production, with 96% coming from South Africa.
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South Africa also produces significant amounts of coal-based synthetic fuels (the only country in the world to do so).
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Natural gas makes up a little less than one-sixth of Africa’s commercial energy output. Almost all (96%) of this is concentrated in only 5 countries (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Nigeria, and Tunisia).
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Hydroelectricity/other account for 3% of Africa’s total energy production, spread out widely throughout the continent.
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Africa is a major (and growing) net exporter of energy, mainly of oil but also of natural gas and coal.
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In 1997, Africa was a net exporter of 15.1 quadrillion Btu (quads) of energy. Of this, Africa was a net oil exporter of 11.5 quads, a net gas exporter of 2.0 quads, and a net coal exporter of 1.6 quads.
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Africa’s net energy exports have been rising rapidly over the past few years. By 2020, Africa is forecast to be exporting around 27 quads of energy on a net basis, nearly double the continent’s net energy exports in 1997.
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Between 1997 and 2020, Africa’s net exports of oil are projected to increase by 4.4 quads, or a 38% increase. Net natural gas exports are projected to rise by 4.3 quads (a 192% increase), and net coal exports are expected to increase 2.4 quads (133%).
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Africa’s oil exports come mainly from a few countries (Algeria, Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Egypt, Gabon, Libya, and Nigeria). Natural gas exports overwhelmingly come from Algeria, and coal exports almost exclusively from South Africa.
Energy Consumption and Carbon Emissions per Dollar of GDP ...
Energy
Consumption/Carbon Emissions Graphs
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Commercial energy consumption per constant dollar of GDP generally rose in Africa between 1970 and 1997.
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Since 1970, South Africa and Egypt consistently have consumed the most energy per dollar of GDP among major energy consumers in Africa. Nigeria consumed the least energy per dollar of GDP -- around one-tenth of South Africa’s energy/GDP ratio in 1997, for instance.
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In general, energy intensities in Africa tend to be highest in relatively industrialized countries like South Africa, and also major energy producing countries like Libya and Algeria.
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In 1997, energy intensity was highest in southern Africa, followed (far behind) by North Africa, West Africa, Central Africa, and East Africa.
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Carbon intensity trends generally mirror those of energy intensity. South Africa’s greater consumption of coal leads to a significantly higher carbon intensity than the rest of Africa.
Energy Consumption per Capita ...
North Africa/Southern and Other Africa Graphs
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With the exception of Algeria, Egypt, and Libya, per capita commercial energy consumption and energy-related carbon emissions in Africa have remained essentially flat for two decades. Energy consumption and energy-related carbon emissions per person in Africa are extremely low compared with the developed world, or even most other developing regions of the world.
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Most African countries are relatively non-industrialized, have low levels of automobile and home appliance ownership per capita, and consume high proportions of “non-commercial” energy (i.e., biomass). As a result, per capita levels of energy consumption and energy-related carbon emissions tend to be much lower in Africa than in the United States and other “developed” countries.
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Per capita commercial energy consumption and energy-related carbon emissions in Africa are projected to remain roughly flat through 2020.
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Within Africa, per capita commercial energy consumption and energy-related carbon emissions tend to be highest in South Africa and Libya, as well as in major oil- and gas-producing countries like Algeria, Egypt and Nigeria. South Africa’s relatively high per capita carbon emissions are partly a result of that country’s high reliance on coal, a carbon-intensive fuel compared to oil or natural gas.
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As with energy and carbon intensities, Africa’s per capita energy consumption and carbon emissions tend to be highest in southern Africa, followed by North Africa, West Africa, Central Africa, and East Africa.
Energy-Related Carbon Emissions Patterns ...
North Africa/Southern and Other Africa Graphs
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Africa’s energy-related carbon emissions increased rapidly between 1970 and 1997, with South Africa alone accounting for nearly half of the continent’s total. Other significant carbon emitters include Egypt, Nigeria, Algeria, and Libya.
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The greatest increase in carbon emissions between 1970 and 1997 was in South Africa. Other African countries with major increases in energy-related carbon emissions between 1970 and 1997 were Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, and Libya.
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South Africa and Libya emit the most carbon per person in Africa. Even so, per capita carbon emissions from those two countries are far lower than in the United States.
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Most of South Africa’s energy-related carbon emissions come from consumption of coal, which is relatively carbon-intensive compared to oil and natural gas. Nuclear energy, hydroelectricity, plus “renewables” like solar and wind, emit no carbon.
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Energy-related carbon emissions from North African countries come mainly from oil and gas consumption.
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Commercial energy consumption increased in all sectors and regions of Africa between 1980 and 1996. Overall, the industrial sector consumed the most energy, about twice as much energy as the next highest sector (transportation), and about three times as much as the residential and commercial sectors combined.
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The industrial sector accounted for the greatest share of commercial energy consumption in both southern and North Africa, followed by the transportation, residential, and commercial sectors.
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In West, East, and Central Africa, transportation accounts for a greater share of commercial energy consumption. The industrial sector, which is relatively underdeveloped in these regions and more reliant on biomass, tends to consume a lower share of commercial energy than in North and southern Africa
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Between 1980 and 1996, transportation sector commercial energy consumption nearly doubled in North and southern Africa, while industrial sector commercial energy consumption in West Africa increased two-fold.
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Energy-related carbon emissions increased in all sectors and regions of Africa between 1980 and 1996. Overall, the industrial sector produced the most carbon emissions, about twice as much as the transportation sector and about three times as much as the residential and commercial sectors combined.
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The industrial sector accounted for the greatest share of carbon emissions in both southern and North Africa, followed by the transportation, residential, and commercial sectors.
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In West, East, and Central Africa, transportation accounts for the greatest share of carbon emissions. The industrial sector, due to a relatively high degree of biomass consumption, tends to be less carbon intensive than in southern and North Africa.
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Between 1980 and 1996, transportation sector carbon emissions in southern Africa doubled. In West Africa, the transportation sector’s share of total carbon emissions decreased between 1980 and 1996, while the industrial sector’s share of carbon emissions increased. The industrial sector’s greater contribution to overall carbon emissions is partially due to the increased percentage of fossil fuels consumed in this sector.