SOLAR, THE SOLUTION TO AFRICA'S ENERGY PROBLEM

September 23, 2009, 8:23 AM

By PETE BROWNE

The Solar Energy Foundation, a Swedish nonprofit, is one of several organizations endeavoring to bring solar power to poor communities in Africa.
Politicians from 11 Southern African countries gathered in Maputo, Mozambique, over the weekend to examine how to address climate change issues without reducing access to energy.

Off-grid solar is seen as one of the continent’s strongest options, capitalizing on Africa’s abundant sunlight without the need to invest in expensive grid networks.

Renewable energy experts and politicians were shown practical examples of how sensitive green energy developments have the potential to satisfy both requirements.

According to the World Bank’s 2010 development report, 1.6 billion people in developing countries still have no access to electricity.

”Decentralized solar systems have a huge potential,” said Jasper Groening of e-Parliament, an international network linking global citizens to their legislators and one of the organisers of the event.

In Djabula – 50 miles south of Maputo – Mozambique’s National Electricity Fund established a photovoltaic standalone station providing electricity for 45 residencies, a primary school and a heath outpost. Legislators and politicians visited the project to see how schemes like this could provide answers to many of the energy and climate change problems facing communities across Africa.

“Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, said Mr. Groening, “and politicians are working on integrating schemes like this into their own national energy plans.”

Small scale projects like this are becoming more common in Africa.

”The demand for our solar kits is huge”, says Katie Bliss of Solar Aid, a British organization that aims to bring clean, renewable power to the poorest people in the world.

“In Tanzania the price of kerosene, the main energy alternative, is rapidly increasing,” added Ms. Bliss, whose organization has projects in Zambia, Kenya, and Malawi as well. “Our studies found that 20 perecnt of household income was being spent on fuel.”

As with other solar products targeting poor communities, SolarAid does not give away its micro-solar kits. “It’s not a hand out,” Ms. Bliss said. “We want to encourage a viable trade. Solar has a huge future here, and anyone we have trained with solar skills has a good chance of finding employment. We also encourage distributors to take solar products to rural villages.”

Groups like Solar Aid provide solar power kits — which typically consist of locally-sourced parts and simple construction — starting at about $20.

But when scaled up, some community schemes can challenge grid power. In an award winning project in Remu, Ethiopia, the Swedish Solar Energy foundation supplied electricity to 10,000 people with an off-grid solar photovoltaic system charging less than $2 per person.