Introduction
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) holds the largest population in the world without electricity; about 70% of the total 1.3billion energy-poor around the world . The energy structure in SSA is challenging and dubbed by possessing inadequate capacity and unreliable means with high costs. In addition, the most expensive prices for access to electricity are paid by some of Africa’s poorest. Fortunately, distributed power in Africa does not have any policy regulations or grids to upkeep . Solar energy and biomass are among the most abundant renewable resources for providing energy to rural sub-Saharan Africa. These resources can be harnessed and used effectively with modern technology such as solar PV and biomass gasifiers to produce
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In Kenya and Tanzania half a million household are serviced by pay as you go solar companies . M-Kopa Solar, one of the leaders in this space based in Nigeria, has already brought solar power to over 140,000 African residents and small business owners (approximately 1.12 MW based on 8 W average system size) .
Although solar panels and kits are easily transported and require little to no maintenance, solar does not solve all of Africa’s problems. Current systems can only light up small shops and service small businesses such as salons. Several firms are working on scaling them up to provide power to small factories and farms. But even so, small scale solar power is not sufficient when it comes to big industries . Small home solar system (usually comprising of 1or 2 panels) do not provide sufficient power for large loads, such as hospitals. Additionally, although it is very sunny, irradiance still varies throughout the day and need for batteries which add large costs.
Biomass Energy
Africa is rich in vegetation with tropical forest and woodlands covering 60% of the continent. In several countries of Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA), biomass energy accounts for 70–90 percent of primary energy supply. The consumption of wood is the predominant sour¬ce of biomass energy, and represents the largest single sour¬ce of energy for most families in SSA . In rural areas, wood is collected “free” from nearby forests. Forests are the main sources of wood for energy production .
Since when it was determined that electricity could be generated from the sun, the power industry has taken slack for not considering it as a viable addition to their generation fleet. However, there are two facts that need to be remembered with respect to the power industry. The first thing to remember is that power has to be supplied to their customers regardless of the weather or the time of day. Secondly, power companies are just like any other company; they are in the business of making money. Because of those two facts, solar energy at its current technological state has no place in the power industry’s current generation fleet.
installing solar panels are changing tastes and preferences of consumer. As Energy Sage (n.d.) stated,
1. Energy consumption in sub-Saharan Africa varies dominates fuel consumption. According to reports the use of wood for fuel is predominant in both rural and urban locations and accounts for approximately 70% of total energy use. This is done by cutting down trees which raises another environmental issue - deforestation. In Sub-Sahara region of Africa, Nigeria consistently leads the commercial energy consumption. Infact, according to data in 2001, Nigeria consumed 32% of all energy consumed in the region. Although domestic demand for energy consumption in sub-Saharan Africa is growing rapidly, consumption levels remain well below world averages. Africa is home to one of the world's largest rain forests. The
In Kenya the sun shines every morning. The temperature for a normal day is about 100 degrees. The solar light panels will be able to produce light . “Solar lights are the future for Kenya. We need to start using more renewable energy to save the planet and better lives.” Says Linda Wamune. Mary is not only reusing her resources but helping the environments health, and wealth. She is using her money and time more efficiently by speeding up the process of light production to better her plants. This is important because it is giving Mary money to save she is also benefiting her health, environment and wealth. By Mary growing crops and using solar power panels it raises her country's resources of the crop and is benefiting her at the same
Currently solar power is beginning to expand horizontally throughout communities. This growth is creating a demand that is beginning to reduce the expense of purchasing and installing solar panels. The concept is catching on and the technology is improving as the demand increases.
The language of Islam, Arabic, was able to spread across continents. This commonality between people of different territories brought down the language barrier that was such a problem in intercultural communication. The common language served as a bridge between cultures for trade, which was extremely important to different territories of this time period. Islamic conquest allowed their culture to spread to many different regions. This, in fact was how Islamic territories acted as a bridge between sub-Saharan Africa and other civilizations in the Middle East.
The sub-Saharan region of Africa has traditionally been seen by the Western world as a barrier between the more "civilized" areas of the northern part of the continent that were colonized by Europeans and the deep, jungle regions common to the rest of the continent. The area below the Sahara desert was seen by colonial settlers as wild and dangerous. It was treated as its own separate entity, but in reality, this is not the case at all. Sub-Saharan Africa is very diversified in terms of ethnicities, languages, economics, politics, religion, and more. While it may still not be as industrialized as the northern part of Africa (with the exception of the country of South Africa), it is a very vibrant, diverse, and intriguing region of the world. In fact, the African Union prefers that the Sahara desert be seen as a bridge between northern and southern Africa, and not a barrier between two different worlds. In fact, the Sahara desert itself and its harsh climate and landscape, which makes it difficult to traverse it, has been the main reason for the prevailing view of there being two Africas. Until recently, interaction between the two regions was not an easy or common thing, precisely because of the Sahara desert itself sitting in the middle of the continent.
The scramble for Africa during the late 1870’s had caused many European nations to invest and get there hands on piece of Africa and also did this with minimal conflicts among each other. As a result, much of Africa was colonized and countries such as Britain and France had much territory and influence in Africa. Therefore, colonization led to lots of exploitations and for African countries to lose there right to govern their own country. However, the rise of independence began near the late 1950’s and the 1960’s and can be exemplified through the ending of World War II, educated African elites and nationalism. These three main factors can be displayed through events and forces that happened within the continent as well as outside of it.
Solar energy is the largest energy resource available on earth. Not to mention concern about climate change have made this resource prevalent to individuals looking to lower their carbon footprint. Installing solar panels can decrease a household’s carbon footprint by an average of 35,180 pounds of carbon dioxide per year (Tusher, Christine, 2014). Solar panels got their start in the 1950s. They are what produce solar electricity by using photovoltaic (PV) cells, meaning they are batteries that harness sunlight, transform it into energy, then send the energy to an inverter, which in turn converts the energy into electricity. A well-known example of an object that uses solar panels to power itself is a solar-powered calculator. One advantage
The story of Africa is not new at all. Africa’s economic achievement is one of the biggest mystery to solve. Plenty of African historians have recorded destructive consequences that burdens Africa from inside and outside influences. It has been said over and over again but the status of the continent remains the same. The continent of Africa has been favored immensely with natural resources, human and economic diversity. Despite the resources Africa possesses it continues to remain underdeveloped and in poverty mainly because of outside and inside influences such as, climate, corrupted leaders, imperialism, and low rates of education.
Sub-Saharan Africa’s grain yields roughly one third of other developing regions of the planet. Part of the problem is Africa's age-old dependence on rain-fed agriculture in a savanna climate, where the risks of drought are ever present. Sub-Saharan Africa lacks the river-based irrigation systems of South and East Asia. Another urgent problem with Africa's agriculture is that Africa's soils have been depleted of nutrients because impoverished farmers have been unable to afford fertilizers to replenish their soils. Older techniques for replenishing soil nutrients, such as the rotation of farm lands, allowing the replenishment of nutrients on land left to fallow for 10 or 20 years, are no longer feasible. Rising land scarcity because of
This project is to identify the feasibility of residential solar power applications for the end-user, and any pros/cons and cost analysis of any such undertaking. We will compile existing data to identify how much grid electricity the average US household uses, how much they pay per kilowatthour (kWh), and compare it to the cost of installing solar power system. Taking into consideration environmental effects, government incentives, and pure electricity cost savings over time, we will demonstrate that every American would benefit by moving from grid electricity to solar power, even if opting for a partial-grid or grid tie-in solar system.
In addition, solar energy operational costs are manageable. It is free from monthly charges compared to conventional sources of energy. Solar energy does not require raw materials such as oil and coal, and once the panels are built, there will be no monthly charges. In addition, the prices of fossil fuels are increasing day by day, and this means conventional energy will be very expensive. Solar energy will remain the most capable world’s future power supply because, it is cost effective once the plants are built, and there will be no transport costs like for conventional energy sources. Therefore, solar energy is cost-effective, and will help in future energy supply, as the maintenance cost is affordable, as long as they are installed properly, and are working efficiently ( Hans, 2012). Furthermore, with the improvement and advancement of technology, it will increase its efficiency, and cost of production thus, making it more cost effective and the world’s best
In Somalia, the poor – and particularly ladies – are the most influenced by natural hazards. They depend on regular assets, such as wood fuel for their vocations and are more influenced by extreme climate conditions. Also, changes in natural conditions regularly restricts access to vital source of energy. In this manner, the government, groups and private division need to recognize and put resources into option – and renewable – sources of energy for Somalia.