An EnergyPlan analysis of electricity decarbonization in the CEMAC region

Abstract

The Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) is at a pivotal juncture in its energy development, facing significant challenges such as increasing emissions and an unreliable energy supply that hampers economic progress. This study assesses the potential for integrating diverse renewable energy (RE) sources into the CEMAC grid, specifically focusing on river hydro, dam hydropower, onshore wind, and solar photovoltaics. Using the EnergyPlan tool, we conduct a dynamic one-year simulation to model energy dispatch on monthly and hourly scales. The modelling result indicates that achieving a 100 % electricity access in the CEMAC region by 2030 will require an annual electricity demand of 8.59 TWh. If this demand is fully met by natural gas (1143 MW), it will result in about 3.75 Mt of carbon emissions. The result shows that by implementing a mix of these renewable technologies in the proposed integrated grid system, the CEMAC region could reduce its carbon emissions by up to 48.7 % relative to using a single RE source in the grid, with annual renewable electricity production of 4.19 TWh/year. Also, by maximising the RE potential from each CEMAC region, there is 49 % RE integration in the proposed integrated grid, with the highest RE share from hydro. This study quantitatively shows that the proposed synchronized regional grid incorporating these renewable sources could enhance electricity reliability and further reduce emissions in the CEMAC region. This research also highlights the transformative potential of RE in achieving sustainable and cost-effective energy solutions for CEMAC, setting a roadmap towards a resilient energy future by 2050.