(COP28) China, Africa eye more cooperation in small-scale clean energy projects

By Xinhua

DUBAI, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) — A project aimed to push for more small-scale innovative clean energy projects between China and Africa was launched Friday in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. The project mainly focuses on small and medium-sized solar projects in undeveloped African regions, such as industrial photovoltaic (PV) micro-grids, household PV power generation systems, and small-scale biogas projects, among others. The project pledges to assist selected teams with resource connection, capability building, and communication support to adapt to local conditions. The launching event was held at a side event of the ongoing COP28, or the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Speaking to Xinhua, Marco Lambertini, special envoy of the World Wildlife Fund, said “we have underestimated the importance of smaller-scale infrastructure that can help the most remote and underdeveloped regions of the world.” He pointed out that small-scale infrastructure such as micro-grids can be reasonable energy solutions in rural Africa and many other remote areas in the world. At the side event, Mandy Rambharos, vice president of global climate cooperation at the U.S.-based Environmental Defense Fund, said that “about 60 percent of the world’s renewable energy resources reside in Africa” but remain untapped. She added that energy cooperation with China could be a pathway to transformation for the continent to address the lack of energy access and emerge from poverty. Rambharos, who once worked on energy transition in her home country South Africa, also hailed China’s role, noting that 51 percent of the investment going to clean energy in Africa has come from China. Enditem