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US Congress Passes "Electrify Africa Act"

One year ago, the United States Government made a commitment to Power Africa. Today, that commitment deepens. First came President Obama’s Power Africa initiative, next came the interagency agreement to fund this initiative through USAID and USADF, and now we are waiting upon the Electrify Africa Act to pass.

What is the Act? Take a look at our simple infographic to get the facts:

Purpose: To encourage the US government to create a plan of action that addresses the 68% of Sub-Saharan Africa’s population who is living without electricity (as of 2010).
What’s the Goal? Implement sustainable, renewable energy solutions to drive economic growth and reduce poverty. In particular, increased electrification rates will improve:
- food security
- availability of cold storage for vaccines and medical supplies
- availability of light to drive business and entrepreneurship after dark
- lower rates of assault toward women who walk long distances to gather fuel
- education and literacy rates with longer and more efficient light sources
The Plan: Multiyear effective policy changes, partnerships, and funding strategies for an appropriate mix of power solutions approved by the President of the United States.
The Step-by-Step Process:

US government will consult with Sub-Saharan governments to determine specific needs and support private/public organizations in promoting the movement toward clean energy
Install 20,000 megawatts of electrical power by 2020
First time, direct access to electricity for 50,000,000 people by 2020
Electrical service available with accountable governance
Construction of hydroelectric dams that provide low-cost energy and also engage local communities in the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of all projects

What’s Next? President Obama introduced Power Africa in June of 2013à Congressman Royce (R-CA) & Congressman Engel (D-NY) introduced the Electrify Africa Act on June 27, 2013 to push the President to establish a bipartisan and multiyear plan of action with strategic and tangible numeric goalsà The Act passed in the House of Representatives on May 8, 2014à Next, it must pass the Senate and gain Presidential approval before becoming a law.

“The House bill underscores the U.S. Government’s broad commitment to providing access to electricity for millions of Africans. The legislation also demonstrates the strong interagency cooperation on President Obama’s Power Africa energy initiative, which seeks to double access to electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Power Africa encourages countries to make energy sector reforms while connecting entrepreneurs and U.S. businesses to investment opportunities.For most of the world, electricity allows businesses to flourish, clinics to store vaccines, and students to study long after dark. But for more than two-thirds of the population of Sub-Saharan Africa, these opportunities simply do not exist.” – USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah

Tags: Africa, Congress, Electrify, Nokero, Obama, Power, Sub-Saharan, USADF, USAID, infographic, More…light, off-grid

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Comment by Hans Mutzbauer on June 3, 2014 at 6:34am: Here in Europe, distribution is easy. The company establishes the line up to the front of your house, you pay for the connection and have electricity - nearly as much as you need and want.

If the company has done the work well, their most effort for the next 20 or 30 years is to send you the bills.

Now look at the tiny Germany and all the overland lines, high voltage switchgears, transformers and distribution stations. All paid finally by the consumers.

Now compare the distances in Africa.

Who will ever build a 8 Kilometer long 6 Kilovolt line with all the hardware, needed, to a village with 100 families, none of them able to afford the cost of connection and consumption?

Why did Africa never get a covering telephone grid, based on landlines? Because of the problems with the distances and the infrastructure. Power grids are much more expensive than telephone grids.

For the "lighter" applications such as illumination, TV, computer, fan, refrigerator etc. I cannot imagine other solutions than de-centralized solar applications.

A barrier for the development are "job-creating" projects, small industries, where the demand of power is higher due to electric driven machines, electric tools etc. If such projects have to be realized close to the power plants due to the impossibility of power distribution, we will face more and more people coming to the cities and living in the slums.

Africa need power plants, not big and central ones but small, clever and regional plants without long and expensive grids.

Comment by Mitra Ardron on May 29, 2014 at 3:19pm: Great to see something happening, although as others have said it would have been much better to put the emphasis on distribution.

But ... note the plan is misnamed - it should be the "Electrify one tenth of Africa" plan, there are about 500m people without power in Africa, not 50m. - That's a great start, but a long way to go.

Comment by Yotam Ariel on May 27, 2014 at 6:02pm: Thanks, Evan.

Comment by Evan Mills on May 27, 2014 at 8:58am: T&D = transmission and distribution.... Sorry for the jargon

Comment by Yotam Ariel on May 27, 2014 at 4:34am: Hi Evan, what does 'T&D' mean?

Comment by Rolland Zhang on May 21, 2014 at 7:37am: Although the Chinese often say U.S. imperialism in 1950' to 1980', but USA have some works are help undevelop area. I agree Evan's idea, distributed solution should be better for Africa.

Comment by Evan Mills on May 15, 2014 at 12:36pm: My sense is that this has a very heavy (arguably overly heavy) emphasis on centralized generation, with the associated T&D issues. Is that correct, or is there more than a the obligatory polite recognition of distributed solutions?

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