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energy solar

Solar Answers in Sub Saharan

Africa – What, Why and When

By James Green, MD Ubersolar

s we enter into the 2020’s, the
decade by 2030 will have proven Rooftop solar
Ato have seen an explosion in water heating
solar adoption and other renewables,
making everything to date seem small.
Yet, it is surprising that there remains
so little understanding by the public,
both sophisticated and layman of the
solar types of technologies at 2019,
when at every turn renewables are
being touted as one of, if not the most
important energy source to counter
climate change fossil fuel pollution.
Understanding today’s energy mix,
and tomorrow’s is both complex
and simple, with the realities being
confused by the vested self-interest
of the various sectors, pushing their
individual agendas, motivated by kW generated than solar PV or wind Likewise solar PV farms in South Africa
profit, politics and of course corruption. energy. are a complete no brainer in terms of cost
The Cheapest Energy Always Wins The pendulum in favour of clean energy per kWh with the continent’s abundant
History has proven that the cheapest is swinging progressively on economic sunshine.
energy will always win out in the end. Coal grounds. The killer for all electricity is that it is very
has dominated for over 200 years, basically Politics Overrides Practicality difficult to store it. The only viable option
since the steam engine in the mid 1770’s is batteries.
as designed by James Watt, powered by It is of course political as well. In the case The good news is the huge drive for
coal, kick started the industrial revolution. of South Africa the socialist love of trade electric vehicles based on reducing carbon
Oil and gas gained traction in the late unions, and the fear of job losses, dictates emissions from diesel and petrol cars,
that coal will continue to play a major role,
1800’s as the motor car moved from despite being the most expensive option. is rapidly changing the battery market.
steam to the combustion engine. Electric Already huge peaking power battery
vehicles were preferred but the problems In addition, the corrupt expensive farms have been built in the USA, China,
of battery storage killed the opportunity extraction of coal, the transportation of Australia, and without doubt the next 20
at that time. Rail transportation moved it to power stations, the burning of low years will see massive growth in battery
from steam engines to diesel and then to quality coal at inflated prices, has enriched storage.
electric. the cadres of those in power, despite This battery storage will overcome what is
never being in the interest of public as a
Generating electricity is still dominated whole, as well as aggravating the health perceived to be the biggest shortcoming
by coal, with nuclear only really being issues resulting from coal pollution. of renewable energy, being the reliability
preferred in France. Renewables offer far fewer opportunities of supply, which is dependent on either
Coal today is still arguably cheaper than for personal enrichment. the wind blowing or the sun shining.
large scale renewables for generating As we move into the 2020’s large scale Instant power from batteries overcomes
electricity from power stations, that wind farms will continue to prove to all these issues.
were written off years ago, and are now be the cheapest renewable energy, The combination of batteries and
reaching their sell by date. renewable energy generation will result
producing kW’s at a much lower cost than
New coal power stations or nuclear new coal kW energy. in a shift in the energy mix in utility scale
however are much more expensive per electricity production.

26 | AFRICAN POWER Mining & Oil Review Vol 28, Issue 29, 2019 Celebrating 10 years of excellence