ABSTRACT
Firewood, dung and charcoal are common sources of household energy in many developing countries, while energy for transport is provided by imported petroleum products except for those few countries that are oil producers. The lack of access to modern energy services is acute in sub-Saharan Africa, where 89 per cent of the population still relies on traditional biomass energy (Gaye 2007; UNDP, 2010). The heavy reliance on traditional biomass results in health and environmental impacts, while in urban areas, imported fuels are often used; the low quality of energy services in rural areas and the reliance on imported fuels in urban areas both contribute to energy insecurity (see Chapter 14). Modern bioenergy is a valuable domestic energy alternative in most rural areas of developing countries if adequate conditions (e.g. soil, water and land availability) are in place, or can be put in place without significant negative impacts. There are various feedstocks grown in Africa that could potentially be used for energy generation or as alternative fuel. Sugar cane is an example of the potential for biomass modernization on a larger scale, with applications for energy use in the household, transport and heat and power sectors. The sugar cane plant is one of the most promising agricultural sources of biomass energy in the world. It is a highly efficient converter of solar energy, and has the highest energy-to-volume ratio among energy crops. It is found predominantly in developing countries, due to environmental requirements that restrict its growth to tropical and subtropical climates. This chapter reviews the main socio-economic and environmental impacts of the use of sugar cane in Africa, focusing on its uses for bioenergy (rather than sugar and other non-energy products) and the implications of these positive and/or negative impacts in terms of their contribution to sustainability. The discussion focuses
on Southern Africa, although there are some general aspects covered that are quite relevant elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa and even more generally for all sugar cane-growing developing countries. Relevant assessments that were undertaken through the Cane Resources Network for Southern Africa (CARENSA) have been summarized where appropriate.
