afrol News, 15 October - Representatives from various African countries meeting in Addis Ababa has established the African Renewable Energy Alliance (AREA).

The aim of the new alliance is to speed up electrification and fight climate change at the same time. In this Alliance, utilities, industry, policy-makers and the civil society will work together to boost the take-up of sustainable electrification and thermal power.

Abel Didier Tella, Secretary General of union of African utilities UPDEA, which represents 54 private and public electricity producers and distributors in 43 African countries said, “True exchange of information on new technologies as well as workable funding mechanisms for Renewable Energy is exactly what is needed. By creating this Alliance we expect to create an on-going exchange and to speed up Renewable Energy production in Africa.”

The forming of the Alliance was the result of a workshop organised jointly by the World Future Council (WFC), the Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE) and the Heinrich Böll Foundation under the patronage of Dr Tewolde Berhan Gebre Egziabher, Director General of the Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority and WFC Councillor.

Energy technology and policy solutions for off-grid regions as well sustainable cooking solutions and the need for a Rural Electrification Development Fund were discussed after briefings on the energy situation and energy policies in Ethiopia, Nigeria and South Africa.

"Now is the time to set the course towards a massive uptake of Renewable Energy for all people in urban and rural Africa. If we fail to immediately take decisions on Renewable Energy production and distribution in grid connected areas as well as in off grid regions, we undermine the right of millions of African citizens to develop a better life in the future. Renewable Energy means both, the production of electricity as well as thermal applications,” the Alliance participants said in a declaration following the formal launch.

To frame common goals and objectives, the Alliance also agreed on ten terms of reference for its future work ranging from fostering energy education and environmental information for all levels of society to finding ways of creating investment security.

The initial funding for the work of the Alliance will be provided by the World Future Council Foundation. The foundation, based in Germany, works to voice the interests of future generations and currently puts the majority of its funds into fighting climate change.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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