Africa need to focus on small and more decentralised renewable energy options
African Continent - NASA image courtesy Reto Stöckli and Robert Simmon (Source: Flickr, CC, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)
Francisco Rojas
23 Jan 2015
Renewable energy might be the best best to take the continent out of their current slow development and lack of energy situation.
Renewable energy might be the best bet that the African continent has to provide electricity for its population, considering the decentralised nature of the infrastructure and the little interest that investments on green energy seem to have, at least when compared to traditional fossil fuels.
These issues were debated by African ministers and delegates at the Abu Dhabi International Renewable Energy Conference in Abu Dhabi last week.
According to a local source, “African energy ministers and delegates at the Abu Dhabi renewable energy conference called on IRENA and countries with greater knowledge in renewable energy to help them in supporting the Africa Clean Energy Corridor initiative.
This initiative encourages the deployment of hydro, geothermal, biomass, wind and solar options from Cairo to Cape Town to increase capacity, stabilise the grid, and reduce fossil fuel dependency.
Ethiopia, one of the countries already investing in renewable energy, especially in wind, geothermal and hydroelectric power, is one of the proponents of financing for the Clean Energy Corridor.”
Some countries like Kenya have big plans with renewable energy in mind, and mega green energy projects are not always viable, therefore by “smart planning and prudent investment (…) so that all African countries can reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and leapfrog into a sustainable future.”
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Source: Inter Press Service
