Can there be energy policy in Sub-Saharan Africa without biomass?

While much of the industrialised world is embracing biomass energy as a pillar of low-carbon growth, a review of national energy policies in sub-Saharan Africa reveals that biomass is widely viewed as a retrogressive source of energy that degrades the environment and engenders poverty. Initiatives to formulate alternative energy policies based on recognition, formalisation and modernisation of the sector are not appreciated by decision-makers in government, whose vision of economic growth and poverty reduction is usually based on fossil fuels and electricity. The authors argue that as long as the significant contribution and future potential of biomass energy to generate employment, support urban–rural revenue flow, strengthen domestic energy security and drive green economic development remain unrecognised, African governments will continue to endorse ‘anything-but-biomass’ policies. In this context, the development of new sector strategies that give biomass a higher profile faces a significant political challenge and may ultimately prove futile.To bring about change it is argued that first, a new image of biomass energy must be articulated, which offers a compelling and achievable vision of modernisation in production, processing, distribution and consumption. This requires an integrated set of measures to communicate the message of change, promote enabling framework conditions, expand sustainable biomass supplies, strengthen regional economies and value-addition, and capitalise on recent technological advancement. Second, valorisation of forest resources is essential to stimulate sustainable production, conversion and consumption, and can be achieved through interventions in governance, taxation, regulation and technology. Third, the modernisation process should capitalise on momentous technological advances in stoves, kilns, processing systems and means of salvaging waste energy for productive use. Fourth, replication and scale-up of the modernisation movement can be leveraged using new and innovative funding sources.

► Most energy policies in sub-Saharan Africa prioritise petroleum and electricity.
► Benefits and opportunities offered by solid biomass energy are being missed.
► Efforts to design more biomass-friendly policies encounter government resistance.
► Measures to formalise and modernise the sector could help improve energy policy.