Resumo:
Energy generation is an important factor in economic development, combating poverty and ensuring a good quality of life for the population of a nation, which is a major challenge for less developed countries such as the Republic of Benin, country located in West Africa. Thus, the installation of hydroelectric plants, photovoltaic solar plants and biomass plants could help mitigate the energy crises that the country faces and reduce its dependence on energy imports. In this context, the objective of this work is to propose and evaluate different energy planning scenarios in Benin, with a view to inserting renewable energy sources (RES), improving the current living conditions of the population, and minimizing energy imports. To achieve this objective, data analysis and an assessment of the energy potential of each renewable source (solar, wind, biomass and hydroelectric) available were carried out. Finally, three different scenarios were created (reference, moderate and optimistic) with the objective of reducing the energy deficit in the long-term using the LEAP (Low Emissions Analysis Platform) program for the period from 2020 to 2050. The results of this study showed that for the “REF” reference scenario, final energy demand is expected to grow by around 1.5% until 2050. Electricity production should, for the most part, be carried out by thermal energy sources and CO2 emissions should increase by 0.5%. to 1.1 million metric tons of CO2eq in the residential sector. Regarding the optimistic “OPT” scenario, final energy demand will increase by around 3.8% compared to the base year value (2020). The share of RES is expected to increase to around 78% of the total installed generation capacity in 2050 and will reduce electricity imports to zero, which were 13.2 PJ and 7.1 PJ, respectively, in the REF and MOD scenarios, representing 81.5% and 20.5% of national electricity demand. These results allowed discussions on alternatives for Benin's energy sectors and encourage the application of energy efficiency measures in each sector of activity to reduce energy consumption in addition to mitigating the effects of GHG emissions. In short, effective energy policy measures are needed to support a sustainable energy transition in Benin.
