While on extended leave in New York,
I often pondered conditions in this huge city, versus in Uganda and most of
Africa. Perhaps most of all, I reflected on electricity and the economic
activity, modern living standards and improved health that this amazing
technology makes possible. I thought about that as I read articles about
climate change “reparations” and other foreign aid, oil and gas discoveries in
Africa, and impediments to African electricity and economic development.
Several European and US energy
companies recently announced major natural gas discoveries in East Africa, both
onshore and offshore. Other companies are using hydraulic fracturing to unlock
natural gas from the continent’s shale rock formations.
There is a lot of talk about
building LNG (liquefied natural gas) terminals to ship gas overseas. “I’m
convinced that in 10 years’ time Tanzania, Mozambique and Kenya will together
form a major gas hub for Asian and Far Eastern markets,” Cove Energy CEO John
Craven told the Wall Street Journal.
There is a lot of gas in West Africa
too, especially in Angola and Nigeria, and companies are often criticized for
“flaring” gas – burning it off at the wellhead, instead of using it for
something productive. (The same thing happened in the United States,
until people figured our how to use this previously unwanted byproduct of oil
production to heat homes, generate electricity, and make fertilizers, plastics
and chemicals.)
Why should this valuable energy
resource be flared? In fact, why should we just talk about sending it to Asia,
the Far East and other markets? Why aren’t we talking more about using it right
here in Africa?
East African gas could easily be
used all over the Great Lakes region to generate electricity for homes and
businesses, hospitals and schools, jobs and economic growth – turning dreams
into reality. All we’d need to do is provide legal, tax and other incentives to
attract investors who could build a few gas-fired generating plants and
pipelines to connect them to gas fields.
There would still be plenty of gas
for export, but the reliable, affordable electricity would launch an economic
boom unlike anything we have ever seen.
That’s what happened in the
southeastern United States, when the Tennessee Valley Authority began building
hydroelectric dams and other projects. One of America’s poorest regions was
transformed into an economic powerhouse. Dams built in the Southwest and
Pacific Northwest regions of the USA during the Great Depression did the same
thing.
Recognizing the immense value of
electricity, South Africa is racing to build the Medupi coal-fired power plant
and many other generators and transmission lines. In just one example, when an
electrical line finally reached a remote area of the country, two furniture
makers were able to install power equipment, hire local workers, sell far more
furniture of much higher quality – and help launch a local economic revolution
that has enabled families to improve their living standards greatly.
Meanwhile, Ghana is building a
130-MW gas-fired power plant, even though the US Overseas Private Investment
Corporation refused to support the $185-million project. Other investors
stepped forward, the plant is being built, the country will send some of its
abundant natural gas to the plant, and numerous Ghanaians will finally enjoy
the blessings of modern living through electricity.
Just imagine what could happen if
people all over Africa could have access to affordable electricity, 24 hours a
day, 365 days a year!
As Zambian Dambisa Moyo and South
African Leon Louw have often said, foreign aid causes more harm than good –
whether it is traditional aid or new-fangled “climate reparation” aid. Most of
it ends up in just a few hands. Poor families see little or no improvement in
their lives. And people have few incentives and little money to make
investments, launch businesses or improve their homes and communities.
Foreign aid keeps people alive, but
barely. It ties them to international welfare, in perpetual poverty, with
little or no chance to become middle class.
Access to electricity changes
everything. It puts people in charge of their future. It unleashes the human
spirit, and people’s innovative and entrepreneurial instincts. It gives people
one of the most important tools they need: affordable, reliable energy for
lights, refrigerators, computers and machinery – along with good jobs, so that
they can afford electricity, more nutritious food, healthcare and other basics.
Some say putting more carbon dioxide
into the air from burning natural gas will affect the climate. However, many
scientists say CO2 plays only a minor role in climate change – and Africans
already put millions of tons into the air by burning wood, grass and dung, which
are far less efficient fuel sources and cannot generate electricity.
The rest of the world – especially
Europeans, Americans, Chinese and Indians – are burning enormous amounts of
coal and natural gas to generate the electricity that runs their countries. Why
shouldn’t Africa? Besides, carbon dioxide makes plants grow better, even in
droughts, and companies like General Electric are developing cleaner, more
efficient gas turbine technologies that African nations could purchase.
Kenya, Uganda and other African
countries would not need extensive gas pipeline systems. They just need to
build a few pipelines to carry gas to large generating units that would provide
electricity for homes, hospitals, schools, shops, factories and water treatment
plants. Miracles would happen.
As my wife, businesswoman and fellow
malaria and economic development activist Fiona Kobusingye, has pointed out,
“Not having electricity means millions of Africans die every year from lung
infections, because they have to cook and heat with open fires; from intestinal
diseases caused by spoiled food and unsafe drinking water; from malaria and
other diseases that we could prevent or treat if we had proper medical
facilities.”
All that would change if our
countries had electricity.
The modern world runs on
electricity. It’s time for Africa to take its rightful place among the healthy
and prosperous nations of the world. Our growing supplies of natural gas could
help make that happen.