Energy Xtra: Moniz Plugs Gas Exports From Africa
Energy Secretary Ernest J. Moniz sees natural gas development among the resources that African countries could use in modernizing their energy sectors.
“Much more, we think, could be done to develop gas both for domestic use and as an export opportunity,” Moniz said Thursday, addressing the Powering Africa Summit. “We will work with emerging natural gas producers on technology issues but also to advance regulatory policies that encourage transparent, safe and environmentally sensitive development of these resources,” he said.
Moniz also encouraged the ongoing developments of distributed generation, microgrids, renewable generation and energy efficiency as means African countries could use to toward more advanced energy technology. The well worn concept of “leapfrogging” over the problems industrialized nations created for themselves in their marches toward modernity “may be tired but it’s still true,” he said, highlighting the department’s work developing a geothermal facility in Ethiopia and training 30 Angolan technicians to install solar.