ASP Online Seminars: “Solar Energy Applications in Africa”

by Dr Daniel Ayuk Mbi Egbe (ANSOLE)

Tuesday 30 Jun 2020, 14:30 → 16:00 Africa/Abidjan

Join Zoom Meeting

https://cern.zoom.us/j/95193567359?pwd=TzdPQWsyWXlSTy9RNXFoa1FhL2xqQT09

Meeting ID: 951 9356 7359

Abstract:

Solar Energy Applications in Africa

Daniel Ayuk Mbi Egbe

African Network for Solar Energy e.V., Wagnergasse 25, 07743 Jena, Germany. Email: daniel.egbe@ansole.org

Institute of Polymeric Materials and Testing, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Altenbergerstr. 69, A-4040 Linz, Austria. Email: daniel_ayuk_mbi.egbe@jku.at/

Lack of sufficient electrical energy is the main limiting factor to the development most African countries. Grid electricity, mostly from national energy corporations, is not enough to meet the increasing demand of electrical energy necessary for the industrial transformation of the nations and for domestic use of the growing middle class in African cities. In addition, grid electricity is not accessible everywhere. Most rural areas are not connected to the grid. Presently less than 40% of Sub-Saharan Africans have access to grid electricity, which is not permanently available. For instance, constant interruption of grid electricity in Nigeria has led to the proliferation of generators, which are detrimental to health and environment.

The rapid deployment of abundant and environment-friendly solar energy (74% of the African continent receives more than 1900 kWh/m²/year) and other renewable energy sources, as complement to grid electricity, is the appropriate step to address the acute energy problem of Africa during this era of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (2016-2030). Solar energy can be deployed as on-grid and off-grid, making it permanently accessible and available to all, thus solving the energy inequality between rural and urban regions. An effective africa-wide deployment of solar energy has been slowed sofar by lack of sufficient highly qualified manpower.

This lecture presents the state of solar energy applications in Africa, followed by an overview of on-going capacity building activities (training, education and research) to address the lack of qualified human resources in the sector.

ASP_0630_Egbe_Solar Energy Applications in Africa.mp4

ASP Lecture Daniel Egbe.pdf

ASP Lecture Daniel Egbe.pptx

YouTube_Egbe_0630