African savanna can meet up to 70% of the world's energy needs
The potential for the development of solar energy in the tropical savanna Sahel is enormous, according to the UN. The energy produced from solar radiation in this region of the African continent is enough to provide up to 70% of the world's electricity needs.
The Sahel, transition zone between the Sahara in the north and the more fertile lands in the south, stretches for 3,900 kilometres from the Atlantic ocean in the west to the Red Sea in the east. Geographically, the Sahel covers the territories of 11 countries and its total area exceeds 3 million square kilometers.
In order to realize the valuable energy potential, the UN has developed a special plan for the development and support of the Sahel.
According to experts, the hot climate of the African savanna can turn into an economic miracle of the region.
-We are on the verge of a revolution, said Rachel Kyte, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy, - solar energy can become a very reliable source for power grids along with other types of energy.
In the Sahel savanna, solar energy can give impetus to the development of households and the local economy.
A new stage in the development of solar energy is conditioned by the fact that in the last five years the cost of photovoltaic systems have fallen by 70 % and become more affordable for use in developing countries. The various options for the accumulation of such energy have been developed. As a result, solar energy is now able to feed not only individual houses, but also entire settlements in remote regions through the creation of micro power grids.
According to many expert forecasts, in the next three years, solar energy will become the cheapest energy source in many parts of the world, and in another three decades, solar energy will generate thousands of gigawatts.
