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Wind and solar bringing energy independence to Africa

Early this year, the Rio+20 conference saw increased calls for a green economy that would help African governments cease being net energy importers through the use of renewable energy resources such as wind and solar.

Greening Africa: The turbines turn http://www.africareview.com/Special-Reports/Greening-Africa-The-turbines-turn/-/979182/1654236/-/uuxs6a/-/index.html
December 30  2012 
This month, the UK’s Blue Energy announced it would sink $400 million into building sub-Saharan Africa’s largest photovoltaic solar power plant in Ghana, to meet six per cent of that country’s energy needs.

The planned 155MW Nzema project places Ghana among a growing list of African countries that have recently looked to tap into clean energy to meet their huge power deficits, to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and by extension secure their very existence.

Early this year, the Rio+20 conference saw increased calls for a green economy that would help African governments cease being net energy importers through the use of renewable energy resources such as wind and solar.

The conference was backed by Africa’s heads of states, through organs such as the African Union and the New Partnership for African Development. This is encouraging as it suggests national policies will soon be aligned with renewable energy goals, adoption of which remains critical as oil imports become more and more unaffordable.

In October, the city of Ekurhuleni in Johannesburg unveiled a solar plant that, while producing only 200kW of power, was still the first in the country.

Rural communities

South Africa two years ago announced plans to build what it said would be the world’s biggest solar power park in the Northern Cape, with a remit of 5GW.

Ethiopia is set to launch construction of a solar power assembly plant, mainly targeting rural communities. The country has a Climate Resilient Green Economy strategy that looks to cut fossil fuel dependency by one-third by 2025, and also reach carbon neutral middle-income status.

The Southern African nation of Namibia early this year signed a deal to build its own solar power plant, while Kenya is currently putting up a massive wind farm in the northeast on 40,000 acres, expected to be fully commissioned in 2014. It is also simultaneously developing geothermal wells to tap its massive potential. The trend for Africa in this vital area looks promising, with significant jumps in financing available for renewable energy.

December 31, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | AFRICA, renewable