ABSTRACT:
The paper Spells out forms of Energies (Wind, Solar Power, and Water) and their comparisons for the most effective and appropriate Energy variable for Rural electrification in Rural Communities of Africa For Rural Development.
The Focus in the Paper is completely based on an integrated portable, User friendly energy system, basic option for Rural Households. Basing on My Company’s Experience of 13yrs, there has been a continuos increase of renewable energy technology, especially in the field of Solar Energy (Best option for Rural Electrification)
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It fully explains how Solar energy Systems based on the stand alone, or Hybrid power generation systems can offer practical solution to provide critically efficient energy needed for rural community, Poverty alleviation, community Health concerns, Education, and many other field.
It further explains the differences between offering an alternative energy technology and choosing energy efficiency for rural Development, which requires reliability and cheap accessibility.
It also advocates for methods to be implemented in order to achieve appropriate Efficient Energy Technology for Rural Development.
In conclusion the paper states that if all issues raised are implemented this will stimulate the General Socio-Economic Development in Rural Community through availability of appropriate Energy Technology.
KEY WORDS: Sustainable, Effective private sector- led Rural Electrification, using Solar Power/ Electricity, effective and appropriate Energy.
1. Introduction
- Africa is richly endowed with abundant resources for electricity generation. Sources of Electricity are many among others include Sun, water, Wind and oil.
However, given the inadequate levels of development facing the continent today power (Energy) sector remains untapped and level of power distribution and improved infrastructures for energy supply remains available only in Urban areas, where reliability (Electricity) still coupled with persistence off loading or power interruptions.
This has been one of the contributions of rural poverty and Underdevelopment.
Its should be noted that majority (approximately 80%) of African population living in rural areas has little access to any public energy supply.
It is absurd to note that even in this 21st Century, only 5% of Africa’s population have access to the erratic Grid Electric Power Supply and over 90 % of the population reside in the Rural Areas. It is only less that 1% of the majority Rural Communities that do have access to Electricity Services, this is because of High reticulation costs, high tariff and expensive electrical appliances. The attempt to extend the Grid based power supply is not foreseen to cover the Rural Areas by another 5% in the next say 30 years. Even today in the 21st Century over 95% of Africans use imported Kerosene which is expensive, polluting the environment, and produce the toxic fumes, not mentioning the fire hazards experienced by the users every day.
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The complete lack of clean sustainable energy forms in the Rural Communities Africa has diminished their Welfare and Standard of Living. Lack of good lighting, for example limit the Social-Economic and educational benefits, Community empowerment to be more productive in income generation, Freedom of movement and access to the vital information on Radio and Television hence limiting their productive capacity.
2.
- Given the increasing inventions and innovations in the Energy sector, the developments in the Energy technologies in terms of Efficiency and reliability is anew opening which will contribute highly towards rural development.
- Today there is a clear evidence of increasing effective demand for electrical power supply in the Rural Communities of Africa. This is witnessed by the increased use of automobile Lead acid batteries to power items like lighting, radio sets, television sets, drinks coolers, room funs, and medical applications. There is also an increased use of generator sets, solar power systems, Bio- mass power plans and Wind generators to power things like Domestic Lighting, Schools, Health Units, Saw mills Hotels and Resort sites, Homes, and Business units. These are good positive aspects indicating the potential for Rural Electrification, and demonstrating the Rural Communities’ need to use renewable energies. The Rural Masses are willing and able.
3.
- Electricity in Off- Grid Communities of Africa can be generated by Automotive fuel (Petrol, diesel), Biomass, Solar PV (Stand-alone and Hybrid systems), Mini hydro- wind turbines.
Faced with such a wide choice of technologies the problem now is to select those, which yield the most advantages. The selection criteria should be based on form of Technology which has the following
- Low initial cost.
- Low operational cost.
- Easy and in expensive maintenance.
- Durability.
- Environmentally friendly.
- Preferably locally manufactured.
- Energy resource easily accessible.
- Cleaner, Versatile and easy to transport.
- Used for different applications and convenient.
With the above analysis the Energy needed for the off- grid communities can be met through power from renewable energies because they offer a good opportunity. The aim of rural Development project would be to exploit those renewable energy technologies to electric energy, which is versatile and most convenient to use.
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Solar PV Power
Solar power systems offer a highly effective and economical solution to meeting peoples’power requirements. It has many qualities that make it exceptionally well suited for all applications. The Process is simple to manage, environmentally clean, very reliable. Silent and requires no fuel other than Sun light and above all it doesn’t have moving parts to wear out or break down. The maintenance cost of the Solar systems is almost negligible.
Solar PV Power is a potential source of power to generate both heat and electricity
With abundant Sunshine available in Africa Solar Electricity is a realistic alternative to costly extensions of grid power or Generators in Africa. It is environmentally clean, It can be utilized from any place where one lives, and it is seen as the most promising Energy option that will be utilized to achieve balanced Rural Electrification development in Africa.
Over the last 13 years, under the leadership of Solar Energy for Africa Ltd, The Solar
PV market development has gained ground in Africa
During this period Solar Energy For Africa Limited Experimented and tested several aspects which have led to this market Development Strategy, this due to the fact that Solar PV power can be used for several (various) appliances. These include,
- Solar lighting:
Solar PV lighting has several important advantages that makes it competitive with other forms of Rural lighting systems such as wood fire, Kerosene and pressure lamps, diesel generators.
Because of few moving parts, Solar PV Lighting systems are reliable, require minimal maintenance and have long life expectancy. PV systems require no fuel have demonstrated consistent technical and economic viability dramatically improve the quality life of the Users. They create employment and generate income in rural areas and hence alleviating poverty.
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Cooling refrigeration for health purposes.
Solar Energy can substantially contribute to meeting essential health needs and to
Improving the quality of life by providing power for refrigeration. Child Mortality is high and life expectancy is low in the Sub- Saharan African countries. Immunisation rates are relatively low and the whole health delivery system is weak. The main role that energy can play is in refrigeration of Vaccines.
Solar refrigerators have found increasing use in the rural areas to preserve medical and veterinary Vaccines. They have proved to be reliable, running on low cost and last long.
The energy requirement for a typical PV vaccine refrigerator is low (2 kWh per day) making it particularly suitable for PV Powering.
One further advantage of Solar Refrigerator over other types is that it does not depend on external fuel supply.
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Solar for Water Pumping.
Its clear therefore to upgrade the quality of Rural people through better incomes and better harvests for their harvests for their consumption, availability of Water in Sufficient quantities and acceptable quantities on sustainable basis is crucial. Using Solar water pumping drip irrigation can make the rural farmer have access to irrigation on demand.
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Impact on Rural Women
With the introduction of Solar Water pumping technology to these rural areas the burden of carrying drinking water is alleviated. The rural women will have time to engage in other activities like Handicrafts, cottage industries or other productive and income generating activities which will result in the uplifting of their living standards.
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Introduction of accessible Solar Energy has stimulated the establishment of Small rural Industries there by creating Employment which has resulted into improved Standards of Living for the Rural people.
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Still establishment of many industries in rural areas will reduce rural –urban migration and release pressure on the Town councils to provide infrastructure.
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Telecommunication.
The telecommunication industry can be powered by Solar PV technology. Solar Telecommunication systems range from Small radio, Television for both educational as well as entertainment purposes, Tel communication by charging phone batteries.
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Finally Solar systems represents the most efficient and dependable to rural areas because,
- It’s done once for all. They are no monthly bills issued out to End-users.
- There are limited Electrical shocks since works on extra low voltage.
- No electrical poles are required.
- Can be transferred from one location to another with Minimum costs.
- No power outages (no loadshading).
- Solar Systems can tailored to meet ones specific power requirements depending on how much money one can afford.
- One of the unique attributes that makes the Solar Systems ideal for use in all applications is their adaptability. Solar generating systems are modular. This means that they can economically be matched to meet specific systems can easily be expended to cater for that need.
- The panels we use have a ten to 20 years warranty on power out put and meet or exceed all government, industry and consumer standards for performance, dependability and durability.
With the above, there fore Solar Energy poses or spells out, so far the most reliable and dependable option for rural electrification.
4. However below are Barriers to extend Utilization of Solar power within Rural Communities of Africa
Despite the advantages presented by renewable energy important constraints remain. Obstacles to the rapid and widespread deployment of renewable energy technologies include:
- Africa’s socio-econic-telechnological conditions/situations.
- Lack of high volume supply – dealers chains on appropriate Business terms to enable the vendors import / procure in economic quantities. The Vendors do not enjoy economies of scale due to small purchases / imports which are normally airlifted to turn expensive.
- Limited Consumer Awareness and limited diffusion of solar power systems especially in the Rural Areas of Africa. This is linked to the poor distribution network of solar system vendors in the Rural Areas of the continent
- The prohibitively high up front of solar systems that have to be paid fully by the solar power End – Users / Consumers.
- The limited or non existent Solar PV Technical capacity in the Rural communities of Africa
a) Lack of Local Financial Credit Facilities with appropriate terms in consonance with
Because of the barriers above there is a need for stakeholders to be pragmatic, innovative and serious in mapping out the strategic plan which will bring about appropriate efficient Energy technology for Rural Development.
5. Strategic issues to be implemented in order to achieve appropriate Efficient Energy Technology for Rural Development.
A regional break through action program (strategy) on Rural Development using renewable energies to improve health, social development agricultural productivity can be identified.
The objective of the Strategy should be to provide the Rural communities with relevant and reliable Energy / Power system, and to offer a nation- wide services through the operation Network to provide the highly and critically needed awareness services and the necessary Local Technical Back –up to the Solar Electricity End Users in the Rural communities.
If the issue raised below are implemented it’s anticipated that the program will rise the village electrification hence rural Development.
- There is a need to need to endorse commitment for improvement of quality Education, health, and communication of the rural people trough provision of adequate energy resource.
- There is a need to endorse improvement of energy supplies and technologies directed towards productive activities.
- There is a need to endorse the development of technologies, which cause minimum damage to the environment.
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Massive Awareness and Community sensitization campaigns and mobilisation.
There is a need to educate the Rural Communities more about the importance of power in their development process. This vigorous campaign can be spear headed through the following channels: Literature, Fixed and Mobiles Demonstration, Radio Programs, TV Advertisement and demonstration, Posters, Brochures, Community Seminars, Sensitization Workshops, Video shows, etc.
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Local Technical Capacity Building
There is a need to address aggressively the development of technical expertise as an essential pre-condition for the long term sustainability of the Rural power supply infrastructures in the remote rural areas of Africa. There is need to have well trained solar technicians, power marketing persons, and solar Vendors who will sustain the power distribution network on private sector- led basis into the future. It will cover the enhancement of the local Artisans into assemblers of some equipment and gradually graduate to manufacturers. This will reduce the high up front cost of the solar systems, and the mentality that solar power is a foreign hi-tech aspect beyond the ability of Rural Communities in African Countries. The creation of this technical capacity will consolidate the educational awareness campaigns and effectiveness of the finance mechanisms.
Capacity building will further consider the establishment of a permanent Solar PV Research and Development Center called “NAMIBIA SOLAR RESEARCH &DEVELOPMENT UNIT” (NSDU) that will look at aspects such as Equipment quality and standards, Technical training, Installation Code of conduct and Ethics contributing to energy policy update, planning viable solar power projects, solar market development, and provision of technical back-up expertise in the Rural Areas.
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Multi – purpose and Dual financing mechanisms.
There is a need to incorporate a Multi-dimensional sustainable financing mechanism, which will consider the establishment of the following:
- The solar Power Vendor financing on affordable and appropriate terms.
- The solar Power End- User Credit facilities on appropriate terms.
- Rural Community based Energy Service Companies.
- The solar Power Hire Purchase Schemes.
- The Solar Power Co-operative Societies.
In summary there is a need to establish a comprehensive, sustainable and commercially viable long term financing mechanism that will enable the Rural communities acquire solar Systems at full cost but payable over a longer time period ranging from 6 to 24 months
The players in the following mechanism will include among others the National Governments, the Donor Community, the Private Sector enterprises, the Local financial Institutions, the NGOs, the CBOs, Private Investors, Sects, etc.
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Local Production to reduce initial up front cost of Solar Power system.
In Africa the up front of solar power/ Energy system is still too high as compared to general income levels of the Rural Masses. Hence there is a need to consider several means to bring this cost down to a level balancing with the Rural Income. The methods to be adopted here will include the following:
- Support to increased local assembling / production of some solar equipment.
- Importing in bulk to enjoy economies of scale.
- Spreading the system cost price to the Solar Consumer over a longer time period.
- Lobby natural policy for exemption Taxes and Duties on all solar equipment, Appliances and Materials.
- Nation- wide operation Network.
There need to incorporates establishment of an operation branch network comprising a number of solar power selling Outlets. In order to ensure the long term sustainability of this Rural Electrification Program in Africa, there is aneed to make the Private Sector to be the principle player in this Rural Electrification Program through a joint / independent and autonomous Management Unit. The required Solar Technical expertise too will be taken to the villages where the End Users are based.
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The Special Role of the National Government.
There is a need for regional Governments to realize the importance of providing power in the Rural Communities. Also to identify Rural electrification as one of the priority sectors. (For example in Uganda the National government has enacted a bill which identifies Rural electrification as one of the priority sector on which it spends reasonable amount of the Budget next to Defence, Health and Education. )
The re is a need for Governments to put up the relevant Statutes, which will cover the following:
- Establish the Rural Electrification Fund from which soft loans will be provided to the private sector on appropriate good terms.
- The Government to try and lobby from the Donor Community such as the World Bank, Global Environment Facility, United Nations, Private Community, NGOs for financing facilities on a long term outlook. This has already worked well in some countries
For example in Uganda UNDP has identified Energy policies that address poverty and equity concerns and especially those policy approaches that address the Unique energy needs and constraints faced by Rural people as an important entry point for the development of Sustainable Energy program.
Still in 1996 Solar Energy For Africa initiated central features of the project called Uganda Photovoltaic Pilot Project For Rural Electrification (UPPPRE). UNDP.The strategy established viable financial and institutional Mechanisms for offering Solar PV system on a commercial basis to households, business and communities.
In the first two years of implementation the Project has led to installation of 576 Solar Home systems and 42 institution systems.
In Zimbabwe UNDP –GEF PV solar project was also initiated.
- The Governments’ Policies to openly allow Independent Power Generation, distribution and marketing, from any form of Energy Resources locally available.
- For solar dealer
The competition is becoming fierce and customers are becoming more sophisticated. They are no longer buying equipment but solution. Now more than ever before,
there is a need to prepare your self to face these challenges in the industry by enhancing professionalism i.e.
- improving sales forces.
- technical trading.
- Preparation of technical documents.
Finally there is a need to establish comprehensive, sustainable and commercially variable long term financing mechanism that will enable the rural communities acquire Solar Systems at full cost but payable over a long time period ranging from 6 to 24 months.
- Energy for the urban poor
Renewable energy studies particularly on Solar have tendered to concentrate on the rural energy needs. This part of the population presents a special set of problem as they are not considered in Rural Energy policies and planning and in most case they cannot access how to afford the commercial fuels.
It is in this light that a strategy needs to direct attention to this group as well.
- The Human Resource.
There is a need to endorse commitment to human resources development at all levels to create a nation that can lead in development of Renewable Energies.
There is a need to man this by a balanced and dynamic Managerial, Marketing and Technical Human Resource. This whole Human resource is not yet in place, but the potential for its development locally in Africa is huge. There is a lot to come aboard as we move along through the capacity Building component described above. The Human resource should be balanced in such a way that the program will have all possible socio -economic – technical expertise for the following:
- Solar for Health/ Medical Care Facilities.
- Solar Power Water Delivery Facilities.
- Solar Power for Telecommunication.
Solar Power for Village Electrification.
- There is aneed to endorse the following as the Key player in the Strategy: The Rural Beneficiary Community & Local Leadership, NGO &CBO, Individuals Business Persons, Local & Foreign Investors, Religious Sects, Financial Institutions, Donor Community / Funding Organizations, Grant Giving Organizations, Consultants, Legal Advisers, Planners, Solar PV Equipment Manufacturers and Dealers, etc
- In order to ensure the achievement of appropriate efficient energy technology for rural development long sustainability into the future it will require integration of the Rural Electrification component in the National Development plans, and National authorities to alleviate any institutional barriers and create new infrastructures to have an enabling environment for the same by coming up with anew Energy statute. The Energy statute should have the following:
- The National Government of Africa to realize the importance of providing power in the rural communities. To enact Bills, which identify rural electrification as one of the priority sectors.
- The Government policy to openly allow Independent power generation, distribution and marketing, from any form of Energy Resources locally available.
- The Governments to formulate National Rural Strategy and Plan.
- The Government to initiate National Rural Electrification Fund.
- The Government recognizes that Solar Energy in the form of Photovoltaic systems has a unique and very important role of expanding access of electricity to the rural communities.
Note. It is evident that facilitation of wide scale private sector led Rural Electrification using solar power systems is a welcome necessity.
6. The Indicators of the Potential for achievement of appropriate effective energy in the region.
- In Africa today there is positive will of the political Government to support Rural Electrification using all possible Energy options.
- There is positive will of the Private Sector to participate in Rural Electrification program.
- The persistent presence of the uneconomic barriers/ situation to carry on the extension of the Grid based power to the majority of the rural area give the opportunity to the increased use of Renewable.
- The decentralized power generation and distribution systems in a close Grid based on locally available renewable resources such as Solar and Wind will provide the acceptable solution relevant to sustainable development.
- There is an overwhelming willingness of the beneficially Rural Communities to participate, contribute and benefit from the program is a positive gesture to its success.
7. CONCLUSION
It is high time that all the role players got up and pursue rural development through appropriate energy technology and energy efficiency on these guidelines. This will stimulate the general socio- economic development in the rural communities of the world. Availability of power to the Rural Communities will improve the living conditions of the majority villagers, as they will have access to better Education, Safe water, basic Health Care, Employment, and Entertainment. Many of these aspects have started to emerge in the Rural Communities of Africa.
For more information contact: Solar Energy For Africa Limited,
NITCO House,
Plot 40 Bombo Road,
P.O .Box 4155, Kampala- Uganda
Tel: +256-041-250125
Fax: +256-041-250131
Musooka Kiwanuka Achilles
General Manager
Solar Energy For Africa.
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