Benin Energy Situation

1.1 Energy situation

Biomass energy constitutes a major contribution to the national energy mix of Benin. Main sources are the forests in the North of the country. Wood products – particularly charcoal – are transported to the South of the country to supply the urban energy markets. Sawdust and agro-waste are other biomass energy sources of minor importance. According to the Ministry of Energy, 69% of the energy consumed in Benin is based on biomass. The major consumers are households. While in urban areas charcoal is the main fuel, the rural households predominantly use firewood. Wood is also used for artisanal food processing (e.g. fish smoking, bread baking and in restaurants). Some industries generate their electricity from agro-waste. Biomass as a fuel is still available in all parts of the country. However, in urban settings – particular in the South – it has become an expensive commodity. The Kenyan Ceramic Jiko - locally called Nansu - is the major improved charcoal burning stove available in the country. According to a study implemented in the first EnDev phase, 23% of the households in the three major cities in the South have at least one improved stove (out of usually 2 stoves usually used parallel in the homes).

Key problems of the energy sector

The key problem of the biomass energy sector in Benin is the unsustainable use of the forest resources. This problem has a supply and a demand side. On the supply side, it is first of all not very clear how much forest is left. Studies (FAO, CENATEL) indicated that the area of forest is decreasing every year. There is a loss of about 116.000 ha of forest per year (situation of 2006). However, a new study is currently undertaking under the supervision of the Ministry of Energy to generate an up to date picture of the situation and this study will be the baseline of EnDev 2 for impact analysing on forests. The exploitation of the forest is at large not planned or controlled. This is the result of a lack of capacity in the national authority responsible for this task. On the demand side, due to low purchase power and cooking habits of larger parts of the population, it is impossible to use other fuels than Biomass-energy. Indeed, according to a study of the Ministry of Energy (2003), 88% of rural population and 85% in urban population use firewood for cooking purpose and 13% of rural population and 36% of urban population uses charcoal for cooking purposes (study made on a national level). The current system of biomass energy-use creates increasingly difficulties for urban and rural households because of rising wood fuel prices. In some areas, cooking and grinding has become one of the biggest items on the list of household expenditures. The government is planning projects on alternative energies to biomass-energy but no concrete actions have been undertaken today. The main ―modern energy‖ alternative for cooking is LPG. However, this is expensive and there are already by now shortages in the supply.