More solar power for Africa

Posted on : Thursday, 11th February 2016

Solar energy projects are to provide 18,000 to 22,000 MW of additional power in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030. Another 11,000 to 14,000 MW will come from new projects involving solar, geothermal, wind, hydroelectric and natural gas, as well as a few thousand more megawatts from making existing power supplies more efficient, mentions a report from USAID.

Solar energy projects are becoming easier to implement as people aren't just getting two light bulbs and a cellphone charger, but they're getting access to appliances that basically let them live the same life that a person could live on the grid.

To help overcome the fact that solar energy supply is intermittent, US companies at “ Power Africa “ touted the potential of their products, such as giant batteries to store energy, or molten-salt power storage, in which salts absorb the sun's energy for later conversion to power. Long-distance power lines could also carry excess supply from places such as Lake Victoria, where hydroelectric power is generated, to other areas that need power when the sun goes down, said Hamid Al Zayani, a representative of Midal Cables at the summit.