Africa’s energy supplies would have to increase at least fourfold by 2025, if the continent were to meet the energy demand of its people, the South African National Energy Association (Sanea) chairperson Brian Statham said on Wednesday.

It was estimated that about thirty African countries experienced chronic blackouts, and power shortages were said to be the single-most important binding constraint adversely affecting the continent’s growth potential.

Speaking at the Energy09 Conference, Statham said that the energy demand was being driven by population growth, economic developments, and the improved standard of living.

However, only one-third of the continent’s population had access to modern forms of electricity, such as power from coal-fired stations.

“The rate of electricity access is estimated at about 34%, with large disparities among countries, and between urban and rural areas within countries,” said Statham.

Rural communities were estimated to have an electricity access rate of about 5%.

The majority of the people with access to modern electricity were also more likely to be congregated on the north and the south of the continent.

Statham said that although hydropower was a cornerstone for Africa’s energy sustainability, and although the continent had enormous hydropower potential, less then 7% of the potential had been developed.

He noted that the most severe challenges facing the continent, with regard to power generation, included inadequate development of the energy infrastructure, high capital costs attached to energy projects, the lack of finance and investing in energy projects, and the lack of technical expertise.

Bad governance and nontransparent business practices also created an unfavourable investment climate.

However, Statham added that the continent offered a vast and diverse energy potential. “There are plentiful energy resources in Africa to satisfy the energy demand over the next 40 years. The challenge is to develop these resources and to get them from where they are produced, to the places where they are needed the most. More cooperation and integration would assist with this.”

Government engagement was needed to address the challenge of technical skills, and technology transfer was necessary to deploy suitable technologies for the development of renewable and alternative energies. This could only take place through robust international cooperation and integration, he stressed.

“It is neither the exclusive role of the government, nor the exclusive role of the private sector to make this happen. It is our joint accountability, as citizens of Africa, to join hands, apply our mines, and take control of our own energy future,” Stratham concluded.

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