Sections
DONATE
SUPPORT WWW.JOLLOFNEWS.COM
Account Login
President Wade promises free energy for Africa
Tuesday, 13 July 2010 15:24
By Kemo ChamSenegalese President Abdoulaye Wade has said that African industries are at risk of vanishing if Europe harnesses the potential of the sun as they will have the added advantage of producing at cheaper cost, making any competition from the continent less likely.
Africa, he said, must initiate the ‘battle of the sun.’
The Senegalese leader told the weekly Francophone magazine, Les Afriques, that with the support of all stakeholders he could provide the rest of the continent with free energy.
“ECOWAS has just given me a mandate to produce solar energy for all of West Africa. This design of solar power for energy independence through solar energy is what I have proposed in Copenhagen,” he said.
ECOWAS Mandate
Wade’s elaborate Copenhagen Solar power proposal was finally endorsed by African leaders at the recently concluded 38th ordinary summit of ECOWAS in Cape Verde. The endorsement followed a presentation by the Senegalese leader in which he cited the wealth of sunshine and the existence in Africa of the largest desert in the world (Sahara) as justification for the sub region to tap into these virtually free resources to meet its energy needs.
A "special resolution on solar energy," released at the end of the Cape Verde summit, acknowledged the potential of Wade’s solar energy proposal and mandated him to pursue it for the region. The regional leaders urged member states to assist in providing technical and financial experts to President Wade 'in view of establishing the Commission on solar power that shall operate under his chairmanship and authority.'
“Solar energy is unique in that the investment is expensive initially, but after three years it decreases … So I can say I'm going to offer free energy to the continent,” Wade told Les Afriques in an exclusive interview.
The Senegalese leader said the energy consumption of Africa is 70,000 megawatts, and he added that with a 100,000-megawatt plant, “we could have energy self-sufficiency for fifteen more years.”
“I have the financial arrangement, I will not reveal it for no, but I told them that in time I will,” Wade said. He added that he’d already met with some Senegalese engineers and those of other countries regarding the project, and that President Lula of Brazil had promised to put an engineer at his disposal for the project.
Africa’s energy consumption
According to the ECOWAS secretariat, the Africa region has one of the lowest energy consumption rates in the world with only 20 per cent of households having access to electricity. In the statement at the end of the Cape Verde summit, it said the region has only exploited 16 per cent of its 23,000 MW large scale hydro power potential.
The heads of states therefore urged member states to facilitate Wade's work by instructing all institutions involved in solar energy in the region to provide him with all the statistical information needed for the successful conclusion of the study.
Jollofnews Poll
Who do you think should be the next President of The Gambia?
Follow us on Twitter
-
Anti-cuts protest at Clegg's homeHundreds of anti-cuts protesters gather outside Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg's home in south-west London.
-
Egypt candidate to seek election suspension: lawyerCAIRO (Reuters) - Leftist candidate Hamdeen Sabahy will file an appeal for Egypt's presidential election...
-
Bristol Rovers Speed Merchant Could Be Racing To Posh(GamSports) – Peterborough United are thought to be one of a number of Championship sides...
Comments
just get it started n Karim, your son will complete the project.
In the service of mother Africa I remain
RSS feed for comments to this post.