Yemisi Izuora
Experts have estimated that investment, trade and development opportunities in the sub-Saharan Africa’s electricity sector would be $835 billion.
Companies are pushing to take advantage of such potentials to market their expertise and probably invest the continents electricity industry.
This is coming as the most attended African Utility forum returns to Cape Town in May next year.
Commenting on the initiative, Evan Schiff, African Utility Week event director said, “The power and energy landscape in Africa is undergoing significant change”.
Schiff noted that current trends in Africa’s power sector include “the availability of private investment for power and energy projects, the fast development of energy storage, renewable energy is becoming cheaper, gas that is an increasingly attractive mode of power generation in Africa, and that in the next 10 years, nuclear will become an increasingly important mode of base-load power generation.”
Also experts notes that the investment, trade and development opportunities in the sub-Saharan Africa’s electricity sector are estimated at $835 billion of capital investment, $490 billion for generation capacity and $345 billion for infrastructure.
The 17th annual African Utility Week is the leading conference and trade exhibition for African power, energy and water professionals and takes place from 16-18 May 2017 at the CTICC in Cape Town.
The event will gather over 7000 decision makers from more than 40 countries to source the latest solutions and meet over 300 suppliers.
Along with multiple side events and numerous networking functions the event also boasts a seven track conference with over 300 expert speakers.
The conference programme will once again address the latest challenges, developments and opportunities in the power and water sectors: ranging from generation, T&D, metering, technology and water.
These include two exclusive plenary keynote sessions featuring the most sought-after international speakers.
Schiff said, “We are known for consistently gathering a group of industry elite real world doers who share their expertise from grid to socket, best practices for effective power and water supply. Once again, we will not disappoint.”
KPMG is diamond sponsor and has confirmed that it is returning to African Utility Week, this time as its exclusive diamond sponsorship.
“KPMG’s commitment to create agile utilities in the energy sector across Sub-Saharan Africa, has motivated the firm to take up a diamond sponsorship opportunity at the 2017 African Utility Week” says Ahmed Jaffer, Chairman of KPMG in South Africa and the Head of Power and Utilities.
He adds, “African Utility Week is a great platform that attracts key decision makers within the sector.”
The African Utility Week expo offers an extensive technical programme sessions that are CPD accredited, free to attend, hands-on presentations that take place in defined spaces on the exhibition floor.
They discuss practical, day-to-day technical topics, best practices and product solutions that businesses, large power users and utilities can implement in their daily operations.
“Another strong trend in the sector” says Schiff “is that the energy consumer is becoming more aware of their environment and how their power is generated and distributed, whether they are a residential home, a mine, a village, a shopping centre or manufacturing plant.
Cleaner, more affordable energy generating options will increasingly become the norm rather than the exception.
All these factors will mean that the utility as we know it will not look the same within 10 years… change will happen. We are therefore launching Energy Revolution Africa, a new platform for community scale projects,” he said$
Energy Revolution Africa, a major area of interest at the forum will provide a unique opportunity for solution providers to meet with the new energy purchasers such as metros and municipalities, IPPs, rural electrification project developers and large power users, including mines, commercial property developers and industrial manufacturers.
The latest innovations and projects in the sectors of renewables, future technology, energy efficiency, micro/off-grid and energy storage will be showcased”.