Solar Power in Africa-22-25 August 2011, Hotel Holiday in, Landton,South Africa

Understanding the potential of Solar power to deliver Africa’s next generation of clean energy

Solar Power in Africa is in the forefront as a solution to dwindling coal based electricity supply

An estimated 1.5 billion people in developing countries have no access to electricity, with more than 80 per cent of these living in sub-Saharan Africa or South Asia. In South Africa over 90% of power comes from burning coal (guardian.co.uk), a number which is set to double over the next 25 years. Coal resources are being exhausted, and will not be able to meet this capacity, making it alarmingly clear that there is a need for inexpensive, low-carbon ways to improve access to electricity in the developing world. Governments and leadership across Africa are fast realizing that the solution does not lie in costly grid expansion but rather in affordable, renewable and readily available sources of power. Solar energy is a leading solution to the global energy crisis. The Earth receives more solar energy in one hour than the world population consumes in an entire year.(environmental- expert.com). It is these facts that make it very clear that the solution to the uncertain future of power is natural energy from the sun.