Could Africa Leapfrog The U.S. In Solar Power?
posted by Ira Flatow on Friday, June 6. 2008
Much of Africa is energy poor, but the simple answer lies in the sun. An energy conference in Nairobi heard experts say that 600 million people in Africa without power could find their energy shortage solved with current solar energy technology. And they could make money export the surplus to Europe.
As reported by AFP, Gerhard Knies, project manager for Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation (TREC) told a group of 9 nations meeting in Kenya "the largest source of energy is the solar radiation (and) the best place to receive solar radiation is the desert," which Africa has plenty of.
Off the shelf solar thermal energy collectors, the same kind being installed in California, could provide the power.
Years ago, we talked about how cell phones and WIFI could leapfrog land lines to provide communications to underdeveloped countries where phone lines and hard wired Internet do not exist. Could the same thing happen for electric power?
Forget building polluting, expensive carbon powered electric utility plants. Let's leapfrog them and install solar thermal power plants. There's plenty of sunshine to power Africa, and plenty enough left over to export to Europe and make a profit.
As reported by AFP, Gerhard Knies, project manager for Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation (TREC) told a group of 9 nations meeting in Kenya "the largest source of energy is the solar radiation (and) the best place to receive solar radiation is the desert," which Africa has plenty of.
Off the shelf solar thermal energy collectors, the same kind being installed in California, could provide the power.
Years ago, we talked about how cell phones and WIFI could leapfrog land lines to provide communications to underdeveloped countries where phone lines and hard wired Internet do not exist. Could the same thing happen for electric power?
Forget building polluting, expensive carbon powered electric utility plants. Let's leapfrog them and install solar thermal power plants. There's plenty of sunshine to power Africa, and plenty enough left over to export to Europe and make a profit.
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Solar Thermal is currently more expensive than fossil fuels - especially coal and requires quite high tech manafacturing plants to build. Solar Tres for example is only 15 MW and needed a 5 million euro subsidy from the EU to be built.
It's a lovely concept, but in a continent where a large percentage of the population is living on a dollar a day it isn't going to happen.
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Not exactly where to post this, but I jsut ahd the oppsoite of an NPR drive-way moment. On the way home I was lsitneing to you interview some film maker (this is Firday, June 6, so I am sure you know which one) whom you priased--"we're happy to ahve you one--we like your work" you kept telling him. But when he palyed a clip from his film and he started talking, both sources started spouting creationist anti-science rhetoric: "Just soemthing written in a book; just a theory--in the end it is some unexplainable power" This from the film. then he started gibbering about how Einstein late in lave converted to being a devout believer in Judaism because he came to believe in the 'god of the gaps'. And you did not say one word to challenge his nonsense. You are letting your show be used for anti-science propaganda. You should be ashamed.
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I think it is a great idea, however it can not yet be implemented at a reasonable cost. I think 2-3 more years are required for companies such as Ausra, brightsource, E-solar, and Sungri to build some demonstrations plants, and further lower cost. I think around then 8-9c/ Kwh could be feasible in California. This means that a similar cost or lower could be attained in Africa.
However, if this is done there should be significant local manufacturing of the panels. This will not only provide power but create a boom in jobs. Some greedy people may not think that is a good idea, but those are the same guys that would take candy from a kid.
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It is going to happen and it is already happening. Think smaller systems, think distributed generation, think innovative financing and voila!
I am working on that very concept. Will let you know how it goes.
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Ira,
How could a science show promote such an anti-science movie as "The Happening"? The writer went unchallenged except for a very meek response to his: "Einstein was a devout believer." What?! That has been debunked ad nauseum. Please restore our confidence in you and the show by apologizing to your listeners for having a devout super-naturalist on and allowing him to preach his anti-science monkey-business unchallenged.
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I did hear Ira disagree with what the director/writer said about Einstein's beliefs. Shyamalan did not specifically say God in the traditional sense of the word (from what I can remember) but a higher power and seemed to be hinting towards the Gaia hypothesis. Which Ira recognized and pointed out- Emphasizing God, Mother Earth, whatever you want to call it was present but from what I remember he left it open for interpretation. I'm guessing to draw a wider audience for his newly released movie.
In response to Ira's comment I'd say Solar energy is insignificant when compared to Africa's other problems. Africa could develop a more sustainable energy plan if they had a desire to do so. Yet as said before who is going to pay for it. Are there more pressing issues to be addressed? Why worry about providing electricity for Africa when a predominant part of the Continent has gone their whole history without it. Are lightbulbs and air conditioners more important than population stabilization, food security , and protection of biological diversity?
Before considering electricity for Africa I'd suggest a push for family planning to encourage population stabilization. Moving away from Industrial agriculture to a more sustainable approach. Growing food in Africa for Africa instead of shipping it to Europe and the US.
I think that only after those issues are being addressed will anyone worry where the electricity is coming from. Providing electricity for light and stoves could help in accomplishing these goals, but I think there are more affordable approaches to be explored first.
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Concentrated solar power clearly will have a role to play in the next few years - as the price of fossil fuels continues to rise, it cannot fail to become competitive. Interestingly however the MPs at the Kenya conference were most enthusiastic about geothermal power. This is from the final press release from the hearing:
"In particular, MPs were enthused by the finding that geothermal energy – which involves drawing on the earth’s natural heat to drive steam turbines – is available in abundance in the region.
The Rift Valley could provide 9 gigawatts of energy, which is far greater than projected energy demand for the whole of East Africa. If this potential is tapped – along with that of other technologies such as solar, mini-hydro, biogas and biomass from waste, East Africa could entirely eradicate the need for expensive fossil fuel imports."
Please if you mention any of this on air, we'd be grateful if you gave a namecheck to the e-Parliament - www.e-parl.net. We rely on donations from the public and from democratic governments. Thanks.
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Buckminster Fuller described a very similar method decades ago by connecting the electrical grids across the sraight between Alaska and Russia, this would allow us to use "off peak" power from Europe and Asia during their night time and us to reciprocate, but since we can't seem to get the SPACE SHIP concept of our earth through our thick skulls we will all eventually sit and shiver in the cold.
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