- Title: World Bank's IFC urges use of clean energy in place of fossil fuel generators
- Date: 24th September 2019
- Summary: ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MAN STARTING GENERATOR SIGN READING (English): 'PROFESSIONAL MEN’S SALON" VARIOUS OF LIGHT BULBS COMING ON VARIOUS OF BARBER CUTTING CLIENT'S HAIR
- Embargoed: 8th October 2019 15:52
- Keywords: diesel and gasoline generators IFC report clean energy
- Location: ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA/ WASHINGTON DC, UNITED STATES/ MACHAKOS AND TURKANA, KENYA
- City: ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA/ WASHINGTON DC, UNITED STATES/ MACHAKOS AND TURKANA, KENYA
- Country: USA
- Topics: Environment
- Reuters ID: LVA001AY0NUXJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:A new International Finance Corporation (IFC) report calls for eliminating diesel and gasoline generators and having them replaced with superior solar alternatives.
The report estimates that there are 20-30 million sites using these generators globally, consuming 40-70 billion liters of fossil fuel, to power households and businesses, annually at a cost of US$30-50 billion, and an additional US$1.1-2.1 billion in government subsidies.
"Globally 50 billion dollars a year is spent on the fuel alone. Service costs, probably another 15 to 20 billion opportunity costs incalculable, when you think about the amount of time and energy spent running these things. If we could take in Africa alone, the generators offline, it would be the equivalent of removing 22 million automobiles from the African continent," said Russell Sturm, head of energy access at IFC.
Strum added that there's the equivalent of 500 gigawatts capacity globally being deployed by privately owned generators.
The IFC report, which is titled "The Dirty Footprint of the Broken Grid," looked at the use of these generators in 167 developing countries, excluding China.
The report concluded that the generators' toxic emissions have a negative impact on economy, environment and public health.
They also impose a cost of up to US$2.1 billion on governments.
"When you think about the health impacts, these engines emit particulates and ozone both of which have tremendous health impacts. Massive amounts of greenhouse gas, but what's distinctive about these and the reason why the emissions from generators are different from the emissions from a car, is that they're right where you live and right where you work."
The report also calls for innovation and the private sector involvement to accelerate the mass-substitution of fossil fuel generators for solar alternatives.
"It has to be a private sector solution. The scale of investment needed, and the type of innovation still required, not just to improve the technology so that it's able to penetrate not just a few different niches where it's cost-effective right now, but actually completely displaced generators - will require competition it'll require Innovation. It'll require private sector investment."
The fossil fuel-guzzling machines are a major source of electricity access in western Africa, for example, where they account for over 40 percent of the electricity consumed. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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