My first Publication ASBG Magazine | Page 10

Our commitment in ASBG is to create the awareness, drum-up support, investments and to draw the world’s attention to the enormous economic benefits of the Africa’s abundant renewable energy mix which are majorly: Solar Energy. Solar energy is the most important source of energy available to the earth and its inhabitants, and a large chunk of this energy which is a good source of electric power generation, is spread over the African continent. Each year around 1,500 million TWh of solar energy reaches the earth, around 47% of the energy, 700 million 7Wh actually reaches the surface.  This is 14,000 times the amount of energy 50,000TWh used by mankind each year. Even with losses and inefficiencies, 1% of the world’s land area would provide sufficient energy to meet global electricity demand. That is, there is enough sunlight in Africa to power the world 8 times over! In spite of this enormous potential, solar electricity and thermal energy generating capacity is still pitiably tiny. There exist in Africa a great need for solar photovoltaic technology development and manufacturing for job creation, economic growth and public welfare.Wind Energy: Annually, over Africa’s land mass, around 10,600 TWh of energy is generated in the form of wind, placing Africa second behind North America’s 14,000 TWh/year.  These figure shows that Africa’s wind resource is enormous yet largely untapped. Onshore and offshore wind turbine sites are both feasible in most part of Africa and these installations will bring power as a utility closer to the people thereby eliminating expensive and problematic transmission lines. iii. Biofuels Production: Biofuels are carbon-neutral sustainable fuel mix. Counties like Brazil and the USA has developed large business from the production and blending of Ethanol with petrol to power vehicles designated E-10. Africa, with its large arable land can grow energy crops such as Corn, Sugarcane, Sugerbeet, Jathropa and coastal weeds and algae that are viable candidates for bio-ethanol, bio-diesel and cellulosic ethanol production at commercial scales. Magnus O. Oshiogwe Founder/CEO BioEnergy Development Centre 10