Digitalisation and sustainable energy transitions in Africa: assessing the impact of policy and regulatory environments on the energy sector in Nigeria and South Africa
Abstract Background Digital technologies have unique characteristics for achieving radically disruptive transitions within the energy sector. They provide opportunities for new production and consumption models between micro-producers and consumers of electricity within communities in a way that tra...
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oai:doaj.org-article:196911ae85354777b3c3a75004fc5dff2021-12-05T12:05:09ZDigitalisation and sustainable energy transitions in Africa: assessing the impact of policy and regulatory environments on the energy sector in Nigeria and South Africa10.1186/s13705-021-00325-12192-0567https://doaj.org/article/196911ae85354777b3c3a75004fc5dff2021-12-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1186/s13705-021-00325-1https://doaj.org/toc/2192-0567Abstract Background Digital technologies have unique characteristics for achieving radically disruptive transitions within the energy sector. They provide opportunities for new production and consumption models between micro-producers and consumers of electricity within communities in a way that transforms the traditional energy generation and consumption model. The study critically assessed the digitalisation of energy systems in Africa within the context of existing policy frameworks in the quest to achieve sustainable energy transitions in Africa. It investigated how digital technologies such as blockchain, digital platforms and smart grids were adopted and implemented within the energy sector to achieve new energy production and consumption models that are both environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive. This assessment was done within the context of existing policy and regulatory frameworks of the society where the use cases were domiciled. Methods The aim of the research was to investigate how sustainable energy transitions are being achieved in Nigeria and South Africa through the digitalisation of energy systems. A qualitative methodological approach was done in three stages—a document analysis that reviewed relevant literature on the energy sector policies in Nigeria and South Africa; the next step involved a comparative case study conducted to assess the characteristics of digital technology deployment in each country’s energy transition. Finally, outcomes of the comparative case studies were then situated within the context of existing policies within the countries covered by the study. Results Results from the research indicate that Africa is still in the early stages of adoption and application of digital technologies such as blockchain and smart grids within the energy sector. The results also showed a disconnect between the policy environment and industry efforts at achieving this. The current applications as exemplified in the use cases by the three companies covered in this study indicates that Africa's sustainable energy transition is in a rudimentary or early adoption stage, and they are not currently aided by the policy environments in which such projects are domiciled. Conclusions The research provides deep insights into the current state and developments within the energy sector especially in relation to how digital technologies are being adopted and implemented in solving the energy poverty prevalent across sub-Saharan Africa.Fortune NwaiwuBMCarticleBlockchainSmart gridsDigital technologiesSocial and solidarity economySub-Saharan AfricaRenewable energy sourcesTJ807-830Energy industries. Energy policy. Fuel tradeHD9502-9502.5ENEnergy, Sustainability and Society, Vol 11, Iss 1, Pp 1-16 (2021) |
| institution |
DOAJ |
| collection |
DOAJ |
| language |
EN |
| topic |
Blockchain Smart grids Digital technologies Social and solidarity economy Sub-Saharan Africa Renewable energy sources TJ807-830 Energy industries. Energy policy. Fuel trade HD9502-9502.5 |
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Blockchain Smart grids Digital technologies Social and solidarity economy Sub-Saharan Africa Renewable energy sources TJ807-830 Energy industries. Energy policy. Fuel trade HD9502-9502.5 Fortune Nwaiwu Digitalisation and sustainable energy transitions in Africa: assessing the impact of policy and regulatory environments on the energy sector in Nigeria and South Africa |
| description |
Abstract Background Digital technologies have unique characteristics for achieving radically disruptive transitions within the energy sector. They provide opportunities for new production and consumption models between micro-producers and consumers of electricity within communities in a way that transforms the traditional energy generation and consumption model. The study critically assessed the digitalisation of energy systems in Africa within the context of existing policy frameworks in the quest to achieve sustainable energy transitions in Africa. It investigated how digital technologies such as blockchain, digital platforms and smart grids were adopted and implemented within the energy sector to achieve new energy production and consumption models that are both environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive. This assessment was done within the context of existing policy and regulatory frameworks of the society where the use cases were domiciled. Methods The aim of the research was to investigate how sustainable energy transitions are being achieved in Nigeria and South Africa through the digitalisation of energy systems. A qualitative methodological approach was done in three stages—a document analysis that reviewed relevant literature on the energy sector policies in Nigeria and South Africa; the next step involved a comparative case study conducted to assess the characteristics of digital technology deployment in each country’s energy transition. Finally, outcomes of the comparative case studies were then situated within the context of existing policies within the countries covered by the study. Results Results from the research indicate that Africa is still in the early stages of adoption and application of digital technologies such as blockchain and smart grids within the energy sector. The results also showed a disconnect between the policy environment and industry efforts at achieving this. The current applications as exemplified in the use cases by the three companies covered in this study indicates that Africa's sustainable energy transition is in a rudimentary or early adoption stage, and they are not currently aided by the policy environments in which such projects are domiciled. Conclusions The research provides deep insights into the current state and developments within the energy sector especially in relation to how digital technologies are being adopted and implemented in solving the energy poverty prevalent across sub-Saharan Africa. |
| format |
article |
| author |
Fortune Nwaiwu |
| author_facet |
Fortune Nwaiwu |
| author_sort |
Fortune Nwaiwu |
| title |
Digitalisation and sustainable energy transitions in Africa: assessing the impact of policy and regulatory environments on the energy sector in Nigeria and South Africa |
| title_short |
Digitalisation and sustainable energy transitions in Africa: assessing the impact of policy and regulatory environments on the energy sector in Nigeria and South Africa |
| title_full |
Digitalisation and sustainable energy transitions in Africa: assessing the impact of policy and regulatory environments on the energy sector in Nigeria and South Africa |
| title_fullStr |
Digitalisation and sustainable energy transitions in Africa: assessing the impact of policy and regulatory environments on the energy sector in Nigeria and South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Digitalisation and sustainable energy transitions in Africa: assessing the impact of policy and regulatory environments on the energy sector in Nigeria and South Africa |
| title_sort |
digitalisation and sustainable energy transitions in africa: assessing the impact of policy and regulatory environments on the energy sector in nigeria and south africa |
| publisher |
BMC |
| publishDate |
2021 |
| url |
https://doaj.org/article/196911ae85354777b3c3a75004fc5dff |
| work_keys_str_mv |
AT fortunenwaiwu digitalisationandsustainableenergytransitionsinafricaassessingtheimpactofpolicyandregulatoryenvironmentsontheenergysectorinnigeriaandsouthafrica |
| _version_ |
1718372239437463552 |