THE SUN IN SENEGAL

Sub-Saharan Africa has long been known for its wealth of solar assets. Recently, rising power demand is turning governments there toward solar energy infrastructure development.

One reason is surely skyrocketing power prices. But there is something else – the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).

The CDM is administered by the United Nations (UN). The UN approves projects in developing economies that will reduce the world’s emissions. Businesses in European Union (EU) countries that are part of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and other mandatory or voluntary markets that restrict (“cap”) emissions earn credits (permissions to emit beyond their caps) by funding UN CDM-approved projects. Those credits can be sold via the ETS. The scheme makes investments in New Energy financially attractive to power providers.

Example: Senegal is short of both affordable electricity generation AND money to fund New Energy development. But it is planning to build solar energy infrastructure and attract investors by offering millions in UN CDM credits.

Considering the many, many benefits that come with New Energy development, this is an enormous win-win proposition. From the article: “With a UN and International Labour Organization study, investing in solar energy and other renewables like hydro-electric and wind power creates more jobs than investing in oil and gas…”

Note to U.S. voters and politicians: This is how a cap-and-trade system is supposed to work.

More information at:
SolarSenegal
and
Seeing the Light
and
Rural Electrification Promotion of Solar Energy in Health Sector

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Solar energy resource in Senegal most ideal
Konye Obaji Ori, 9 October 2008 (AFRIK)

WHO
The Senegalese government (Louis Seck, head, Renewable Energy Department); Abdoulaye Fall, Head of environmental quality and safety, National Confederation of Employers in Senegal (CNES); the United Nations Environment programme (UNEP); Senelec;

WHAT
The Senegalese government is planning to develop solar energy.

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WHEN
2005 to 2008: Senegal’s expenditure on energy increased 500%.

WHERE
Sub-Saharan West Africa is saturated daily in enough solar energy to fuel the entire world many times over.

WHY
- Senelec is Senegal’s national electricity company.
- 1 in 4 Senegalese have access to electricity from the national transmission system.
- If funding can be found, solar energy could bring millions in Senegal off-grid electricity with distributed installations and increase the nation’s grid electricity supply with solar power plants.
- The solar resource is so powerful in Saharan West Africa that solar energy is likely to reduce electric bills over the long term.
- CNES’ Fall estimates the US$18.40/kilowatt-hour price of electricity currently generated by diesel liquid fuel could be cut by 50% if generated by solar power plants.

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QUOTES
UNEP official: ‘Senegal, like many of its Sahelian neighbours, gets 3,000 hours of sunshine a year at an intensity of 5.8 Watt hours per square metre (Wh/m2) per day. Solar power stations can be set up on uncultivable land, making Senegal "an ideal location for solar energy development.’