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Article

21 Aug 2017

Author:
Allan Olingo, The EastAfrican (Kenya)

Social & environmental impact assessments to be carried out for Japan-Africa Energy Initiative projects

"AfDB is investing in a new initiative to power Africa by 2025"

...[T]he Japan-Africa Energy Initiative to support the New Deal on Energy for Africa...[seeks] to support the small and medium players who want to join the regional energy sector under Japan’s Light up and Power Africa initiative which aims to enable regional countries achieve universal access to energy by 2025, using available energy sources and the most advanced technologies. [Below are excerpts from an interview with Gabriel Negatu, the African Development Bank regional director-general]...

Outside of nuclear projects, we will look at all projects, including the controversial coal-powered. We believe that through environmental impact assessment, some of the concerns about these projects will be addressed. But we will also undertake due diligence on them so that we fund projects that will not only add value but also enjoy the support of the locals and agencies meant to audit them.We will provide assistance to projects ranging from high-efficiency coal-fired power plants utilising clean coal technology that helps curb carbon dioxide emissions to the construction of geothermal power plants, solar power projects and even wind-powered ones...We believe that through environmental impact assessment, some of the concerns about these projects will be addressed.

But we will also undertake due diligence on them so that we fund projects that will not only add value but also enjoy the support of the locals and agencies meant to audit them. We will provide assistance to projects ranging from high-efficiency coal-fired power plants utilising clean coal technology that helps curb carbon dioxide emissions to the construction of geothermal power plants, solar power projects and even wind-powered ones. [Refers to Lake Turkana Wind Power]