Indaba Energy Leaders’ Dialogue to put spotlight on shale gas, electricity access

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Following the success of the inaugural World Energy Leaders’ Dialogue in Abu Dhabi last month, the event will move to Johannesburg, South Africa this month.

The event, called the Indaba Energy Leaders’ Dialogue, will provide an exclusive platform for top decision-makers from government, business, and civil society from both Africa and beyond to discuss the way ahead for the sector.

Christoph Frei, WEC Secretary General, said he hopes the event will “inspire thinking and galvanise local action for Africa’s energy future.”

One focus during the Dialogue is on how to expand electricity access for Sub-Saharan Africa, where nearly 600 million people do not have energy access.

The Dialogue will have sessions focusing on two issues. One session, on 18 February, will focus on the outlook of shale gas in South Africa. Shale gas has had a clear impact in the US and has had wide-ranging implications for regional gas prices, the maritime LNG trade, coal and electricity industries, as well as geopolitical dynamics. South Africa’s shale gas industry is in its infancy but has huge potential to evolve the country’s gas infrastructure to maximise economic benefit.

The other session, on 19 February, will explore how to expand electricity access for Sub-Saharan Africa, where nearly 600 million – or about two-thirds of the population – do not have access, according to World Energy Scenarios. The discussion will be anchored around the Global Electricity Initiative (GEI), which is bringing together the world’s leading utilities to share best practices in boosting supply. It will gather the chiefs of five major African utilities plus Philippe Joubert, Chair of GEI, to lead a discussion on actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change and increase energy access.

The WEC’s World Energy Leaders’ Dialogue series provides a regular platform for top decision-makers to discuss regional energy issues. It is held in a roundtable setting, where participants can address critical issues in an interactive and informal peer-to-peer dialogue. Session summaries will not contain attributed quotes unless with the explicit agreement of the contributor to encourage an open exchange.