The quest for renewable sources of energy in Africa has reached fever pitch as Africa turns to wind power as one of the most viable sources of renewable energy.
Over the last ten years, power generated from the wind has more than quadrupled. Estimates puts today’s installed wind capacity at about 197 GW representing about 3 percent of global electricity consumption.
For some countries wind has become one of the largest electricity sources. For instance, Denmark is the world leader with 21 percent; Portugal comes second with 18 percent, Spain is third at 16 percent, while Germany is fourth with 9 percent. Despite holding the distinction of being the country with the largest installed wind capacity, wind in China contributed 1.2 percent to overall electricity supply. However in the US, wind’s share reached about 2 percent. In Africa though, things have only just started meaning that the scope for growth is significant even as Africa’s GDP maintains an upward trajectory and demand for more energy.
Wind is becoming a major source of electricity around the world and its benefits are enormous. The abundance of wind means that its recent rapid growth is expected to continue. Wind is one of the cheapest sources for new electricity all around the world and its costs are projected to keep falling. Additionally, wind power doesn’t pollute at all.
Although it is considered one of the safest sources of electricity it also comes with some challenges. The turbines may create a lot of noise. This is the reason why wind farms are not built near residential areas. People who live near-by often complaint of huge noise that comes from wind turbines. Some studies have also shown that animals and birds see wind turbines as a threat to their life. Again, wind turbines require them to be dig deep into the earth which could have negative effect on the underground habitats. It has been observed that wind power can only thrive in countries with coastal areas and hilly places. From an economic standpoint the recent fall in oil prices has been a threat to the development of renewable energy sources because lower fossil fuel prices makes investment in renewable less attractive. Yet these challenges have not deterred African countries from leveraging on wind to boost energy production.
The first wind farms in Africa were established during the 1980’s. In Egypt, a pilot wind farm was developed at Ras Gharib, near the Gulf of Suez, in 1988 which laid the foundation for large scale projects that were later established. Although North Africa notably Egypt and Morrocco is the region with the highest wind power energy production facilities, South and East Africa have in recent years embarked on large projects that will soon close this gap if they have not already. This is lead by South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania.
Kenya
An example of the scale of development as Africa turns to wind power can be seen in Kenya where the construction of the largest wind power farm is underway at a cost of almost US$1bn. The 300 MW Lake Turkana Wind Power Project, which is being developed in the country’s North-East, hopes to produce 20% of the country’s current installed electricity generating capacity when it comes online in 2016. The ambitious project achieved full financial close in December 2014, making it the largest private investment in Kenyan history.
William Macpherson, who is sub-Saharan African energy analyst at African Energy Consultancy, believes that the project if completed will enhance confidence in investors. The project is part of Kenya’s ambitious project to add 5,000 MW of power onto the grid in the next three years.
The 52-meter blade span windmills will take advantage of high winds present in Turkana. It is expected that the project will boost job creation in the area. Over the 32 months when the hardware will be installed and new roads constructed, the project will employ over 2,500 people on a temporary basis. Once the wind farm is up and running, 200 people will be employed at the site on a full-time basis throughout the operating period.
Kenya has experienced major power blackouts that have interrupted businesses that resulted in losses. According to Kenya Power, the country’s electricity distributor, widespread interruptions of power in 2014 affected 75% of the country. The shift to Wind Power is seen by experts as a way of reducing overreliance in hydro as rain fall patterns increasingly become unreliable in Kenya.
The Turkana Wind Power project, is expected to generate $150 million a year in foreign currency savings to Kenya and is set to be a sigh of relieve on houses and businesses that are forced to use diesel generators during power black outs.
South Africa
In South Africa renewable energy has seen commitments amounting to almost US$2bn procuring 6,327MW of which 53 percent is from wind power. The programme is based on competitive bidding. Potential developers bid to construct a renewable energy project below a certain tariff cap. South Africa currently has an increased number of installed wind turbines of 294 from the 8 that it had in 2012.
The South Africa Wind Energy Association (Sawea) is hopeful that by the year 2020, 2500 wind turbines will have been installed so as to prevent load shedding. This will also help in the increase of private generation and diversity in the coal electricity mix which is prevailing in the country.
According to the CEO of Sawea, Johan van den Berg, all the turbines presently installed had been constructed with private money with an estimated US $4.44bn being invested on the same in the past 3 years in projects that had been attained under Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP).
Sawea believes that wind power has the potential of producing 62% of South Africa’s current electricity needs. The body observes that currently, South Africa depends on coal to generate electricity. However, production of electricity under this method has continued to be criticized by environmentalists who argue that carbon emitted contributes to global warming apart from causing severe air pollution. Due to REIPPPP competition, Sawea notes that the price of wind energy has decreased by 42%.
Nigeria
Despite having vast amount of oil, Nigeria still grapples with deficit in power generation. Experts say that Nigeria’s economy is not growing as per its expectation due to insufficient power. The CEO of General Electric (GE) in Nigeria Lazarus Angbazo says that the deficit in power generation in Nigeria has nearly stalled rapid development of critical sectors of the country’s economy.
Angbazo notes that power generation output in Nigeria stands at about 4,000MW in a country that has over 170 million people. He observes that the country still lacks 200,000MW to at least ensure a sustained economic growth.” He said, adding that “South Africa with a population of about 50 million people, which is less than a third of Nigeria’s population, generates over 45,000MW of electricity.”
Awake to the power challenges facing it, Nigeria has now begun to dabble with renewable sources of energy. The government has established a 10 MW Wind Power Plant at a small village of Rimi, 25 km south of Katsina City. The plant which was commissioned early this year is set to boost power production in the country. By standards set in other countries the 10MW seems a paltry amount but it is a step forward none the less. The plant will consist of 37 wind turbines with a rated power of 275 kW each. The average annual mean monthly wind speed at 55 m height for Katsina has been calculated as 6.044 m/s.
The move to turn to wind power in Nigeria was informed by the government’s decision to diversify its energy mix to boost electricity generation and have constant power supply.
Egypt
On its part, Egypt announced in early 2015 that it was readying a tender for 250MWof wind energy. Egyptian New & Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) chairman Mohamed El Sobki recently announced at the World Future Energy Summit in Cairo that more renewable projects would help the country restructure its power market.
The government spent 45 billion Egyptian pounds (Dh23.04bn) on energy subsidies in the first six months of the fiscal year that began in July 2014. The subsidies have helped to turn Egypt from a net energy exporter into a net importer over the past few years.
After a competitive tendering process, Spanish wind turbine manufacturer Gamesa won the deal for the Gulf of El Zayt wind project in Egypt, which is being financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
According to the terms of the deal, the Spanish firm will deliver, install and commission 110 of its G80-2.0 MW turbines at the facility, which is being developed along the Red Sea coast.
Gamesa is expected to start supply of the turbines at the 220MW facility from September this year.
Morocco
Although the World Bank ranks Morocco as one of the energy poor countries in the world, the country seeks to change the perception. In 2014, Morocco’s largest wind farm, at Tarfaya in southwestern Morocco, started generating electricity catering for electricity needs of thousands of people. Installed on 10,000 hectares (24,700 acres) along the wind-blown southern Atlantic coast, the 80-metre (260 feet) high turbines, 131 in all, became fully operational in October 2014 and now produce up to 300MW of electricity.
A 50 MW wind farm already exists at Foum el Oued, near Western Sahara’s main city of Laayoune, and other projects are planned, according to Morocco’s Economic, Social and Environmental Council.
Ethiopia
In May Ethiopia’s Adama wind farm opened its doors, making it the largest wind farm in sub-Saharan Africa to date. Devoid of its own gas or oil reserves, Ethiopia is turning to its significant renewable energy potential to revitalize its economic development.
According to figures from the country’s energy ministry, over 75 percent of Ethiopia’s 94 million people, especially those living in rural areas, are not connected to the national grid. It was therefore agreed that the country needs to increase its electricity production by 20 to 25 percent per year to meet increasing demand.
Another wind farm, even larger in size and intended to produce 300MW, is due to be constructed at Ayesha in the remote eastern desert near the border with Djibouti, which is another area with strong winds to support the project.
Consultant engineer and professor at the University of Adama Tahaguas Andemariam observes that as a country they now fully understand the technicalities of wind power projects and its benefits.
Proponents of wind power says that it can go along way to boosting electricity supply in Africa, a much needed impetus to spur economic growth in the continent. Although, wind power has far reaching benefits, the expensive cost of the turbines and man power has continued to haunt African countries. Generally speaking, wind power investment in Africa continues to surge but it remains to be seen whether this will translate to economic growth in a continent where majority of countries are poor.
