Reducing global reliance on fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal) as sources of energy generation is a critical component of curtailing the negative impacts of climate change on societies and livelihoods. At the same time, the share of renewable energy sources (including wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal) must be increased, a process referred to as "energy transition". The already dire global warming situation also requires increasing renewable energy generation in regions with relatively small contributions to global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG).
While much research has been conducted on the political economy of energy transitions in industrialized nations, political economy aspects of energy transitions in SSA have not received much analytical attention. This thesis thus seeks to examine how energy policy priorities are directed in Namibia. As an upper-middle income country with enormous potential for domestic renewable energy generation, Namibia’s energy transition still faces some considerable political and economic challenges. These challenges include a heavy reliance on energy imports and concerns around energy security.
To demonstrate energy policy priorities by the Namibian government, I performed a Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA) of strategic energy policy documents and speeches issued by the Namibian government. The analysis shows that energy security and reaching universal energy access constitute the main concerns of the Namibian government. It also suggests that fossil fuel utilization and increased renewable energy generation as policy priorities are not viewed as conflicting.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Literature Review
2.1 Context: Energy Transitions
2.2 The Socio-Technical Perspective
2.3 The Coalitions Approach to Energy Transitions
2.4 Power Relations and Critical Perspectives on Energy Transitions
2.5 Path Dependencies and Institutional Lock-Ins
3 Country Context: Namibia as a Case and Current State of Namibia’s Energy Situation
4 Methodology
4.1 Analytical Procedure: Rules and Category Formation
4.2 Selected Material
4.3 Contextualizing the Material and Publishing Entities
5 Analysis of Namibia’s Energy Policy Priorities
5.1 Analysis of the Material Based on Main and Sub-Category Frequency
5.2 Summary and Interpretation of the Findings
5.3 Critical Reflection of the Applied Research Procedure
6 Conclusions and Further Research Possibilities
Research Objectives & Core Themes
This thesis investigates the political economy of Namibia’s energy transition, specifically examining how energy policy priorities are directed within the nation to address political and economic challenges. The research question seeks to identify how the Namibian government balances its energy security goals with the potential for domestic renewable energy expansion and existing political constraints.
- The influence of political coalitions on energy policy outcomes.
- The interplay between energy security and the push for renewable energy generation.
- The impact of institutional path dependencies on transition speed.
- Comparative perspectives on energy politics in sub-Saharan African countries.
- The political economy of fossil fuel utilization versus clean energy development.
Extract from the Book
2.2 The Socio-Technical Perspective
For the most part, energy transition research has been conducted from a socio-technical angle, concentrating on how new technologies in the energy sector potentially drive cleaner energy production. This approach has neglected political challenges and constraints affecting the shift of one energy system to another, a gap political economy literature seeks to address.
Socio-technical insights, according to Power et al. (2016, 11), often apply a multilevel perspective of landscapes, regimes, and niches. While the landscape of an energy transition consists of "the structuring forces of ideologies, institutions, discourses, and political and economic trends," (energy) regimes describe the regulatory, institutional, and infrastructural requirements of policymaking to sustain functions of society, including mobility and power generation. Niches offer a space in which new technologies can develop in relation to existing technological configurations. Without support from the landscape or regime, niches often fail to accumulate enough scale to become competitive. Regimes, if powerful enough, can thus lead to certain path dependencies or lock-ins (see 2.5) and do not allow for alternative technologies to develop.
One shortfall of the socio-technical approach that Power et al. (2016) identified is the neglect of powerful actors at the landscape or regime level. Technology is certainly critical to expanding renewable energy levels in SSA, but it is integrated into a political and social system that shapes the incentives of adopting renewable energy projects. Although the concepts of landscape, regime, and niche are useful to characterize the functions of an energy system - and will be used as categories in this work - complimentary political economy perspectives are needed to dissect how political constraints and actors shape their interactions.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter establishes the importance of the global energy transition and introduces the specific research focus on Namibia’s political economy within the sub-Saharan African context.
2 Literature Review: The chapter provides the theoretical framework by discussing socio-technical perspectives, coalition approaches, power relations, and path dependencies in energy policy.
3 Country Context: Namibia as a Case and Current State of Namibia’s Energy Situation: This chapter outlines the energy status quo in Namibia and highlights the country's potential and constraints regarding renewable energy.
4 Methodology: The author details the Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA) approach, describing the rules, category formation, and selection of policy documents and speeches.
5 Analysis of Namibia’s Energy Policy Priorities: This section presents the findings of the empirical analysis, prioritizing government objectives and interpreting them through the lens of political economy.
6 Conclusions and Further Research Possibilities: The final chapter summarizes the results and suggests future avenues for research into Namibia’s energy policy trajectories.
Keywords
Namibia, Energy Transition, Political Economy, Renewable Energy, Fossil Fuels, Policy Priorities, Energy Security, Sub-Saharan Africa, Qualitative Content Analysis, Institutional Lock-Ins, Coalitions, Sustainable Development, Power Relations, Energy Access, Policy Discourse
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The thesis explores the political economy behind Namibia’s renewable energy transition, analyzing how political priorities and constraints shape energy policy decisions.
What are the central thematic areas?
Key themes include energy security, the dynamics of political coalitions, the influence of fossil fuel reserves, and the role of institutional frameworks in driving or hindering change.
What is the primary objective of the research?
The main goal is to understand how the Namibian government directs its energy policy and how it manages the inherent trade-offs between utilizing fossil fuels and expanding renewable energy.
Which scientific method is employed?
The author uses Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA) to evaluate government-issued strategy documents and political speeches systematically.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main part covers the theoretical literature review, the specific energy context of Namibia, and a detailed empirical analysis of prioritized energy goals.
Which keywords characterize this paper?
Keywords include Namibia, Energy Transition, Political Economy, Renewable Energy, Energy Security, and Policy Priorities.
Does the author consider the role of external investment in Namibia's energy landscape?
Yes, the study examines how international interest, such as that from the European Union and Germany regarding green hydrogen, influences Namibia’s strategic energy planning.
How does the author treat the debate around fossil fuel extraction in the Kavango region?
The analysis includes the political discourse surrounding the discoveries by ReconAfrica, highlighting the tension between potential economic revenue and the environmental concerns voiced by activists.
- Quote paper
- Philipp Striegl (Author), 2023, The Political Economy of the Renewable Energy Transition in Namibia. Assessing Energy Policy Priorities and Political Constraints, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1361246
