THE CASE OF SOLAR ENERGY - MY PERSPECTIVE

When you mention solar energy, why do people only think you are talking about bulk infrastructure?

Solar is more than that. Solar is modern technology driven by local innovation.

In fact, the solar revolution in Africa today is driven by small solar lighting solutions wired to Pay As You Go (PAYG) software and hardware. It has less or 'nothing' to do with bulk infrastructure!!!

First and foremost, nobody pays for it, it’s just there and for the next ten billion years humans can and will be able to tap it. Interestingly, developing solar energy may seem like a no brainier but there are legitimate concerns when it comes to the capabilities of it and its implementation.

Photo Credit : Google

Over the years, there have been a lot of arguments concerning solar energy which ranges from the cost involved where the general notion is that it’s too high when adopted. But from further readings and research, it has been identified that, there are different ways for calculating costs and the alternative methods also doesn’t compare easily to each other.

There’s also been the case of how feasible it is to generate power when the sun shines on them. Other factors such as its storage, its accompanying environmental costs are all valid points in the argument for and against the case of solar energy but in my opinion, I believe the positives outweighs the negatives.

The Government of Ghana and for that matter most African governments in my opinion doesn't believe in solar energy, it is rather the citizens who do.

Climate Issues My Views, Reality and Thoughts

The phrases CLIMATE CHANGE and GLOBAL WARMING and more recently GLOBAL COOLING are now part of our lives and rarely does a day go by without a mention in the press or on the radio of the possible causes of climate change and its consequences.

Climate change has come upon us in a relatively short space of time and is accelerating with alarming speed. It is perhaps the most serious problem that the civilized world has had to face.

"We are moving towards a technological and economic tipping point" that could reshape energy use and drastically reduce emissions.

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The longer we delay decreasing emissions, the more we are going to have to spend on adaptation. Many countries are addressing climate change out of their own need and national interest.
When we think about Copenhagen we need to think about "what did we learn and what is different now.

What is different is governments have agreed to come to an agreement and many more extreme weather events have hit many countries. But in all this, there are others that are adamant of the real and occurring current facts of the issue with climate science.

It has become evident that disaster, climate risks are becoming impediments to poverty reduction. Some might disagree but there are research findings that prove this. To support this statement here is a link for your reading attention : VIDEO:‬ Climate Change in ‪‎Africa‬ Will Hit the ‪Poor‬ the Hardest.

In spite of all the publicity and coverage and indeed in the face of real evidence, there are many dissenting voices who either do not accept that climate change is taking place or that anthropogenic gases and compounds, such as carbon dioxide, are responsible for the major effect.

Well I can also add another link to buttress my case of climate risk impeding poverty reduction. In a situation where governments need to channel resources into providing the basic amenities for the poor, there will be the pressing need to tackle the high risks of Climate change. Read this World Bank report : The climate crisis will lock millions into poverty according to a new World Bank report .


I am not done yet with this post. I will surely add more to this post. I might edit this or do another post.

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Can Sustainable Energy be achieved by 2030?

Through out my growing life, I have been very concerned about what happens in the near future in relation to the environment and human livelihood. No doubt it has reflected in my activism being an A Rocha International member and rose to the University of Cape Coast president, Greenpeace member to mention but a few. I found this interesting piece online and I decided to blog it so the conversation can still go on. The future is what we have, so I am sure if we take all the necessary steps to keep it safe, and take the right actions, we will have a better place to live in. Continue reading.



The World Economic Forum’s Energy for Society initiative places secure and affordable energy access as the first of its five principles of which leading energy companies commit to deliver in order to meet the needs of a growing world population. Can we, however, go one step further and achieve universal access to energy by 2030 as is the target of many countries and the United Nations.



Renewable energy can play a transformative role in making this objective a reality. With the right policies, investment and public-private partnership models, we can achieve sustainable energy for all, and perhaps even before 2030.

By using our renewable resources, energy can be generated in a carbon-responsible, cost-effective manner that also creates jobs and mitigates climate change, providing a workable and affordable solution that will keep our planet healthy.



The potential of renewable energy is immense. For example, every megawatt (MW) of wind energy installed creates up to 20 jobs; a single 1.5 MW turbine can reduce CO2 emissions by over 3,000 tons every year. And, technological advances have increased the efficiency and productivity of renewable energy. In the wind industry, for example, improvement in technology have made wind turbines 100 times more powerful compared to designs from the 1980s. This is essential to meet our growing energy needs – industrialized countries need more energy to strengthen their economies and developing countries to accelerate progress.



Technological advances have also reduced the cost of renewable energy. For instance, sophisticated materials, electronics, aerodynamics and instillation of larger MW machines have brought down the costs of generating a kilowatt-hour of energy from wind by over 50%. The World Bank report, “Inclusive Green Growth: The Pathway to Sustainable Development”, also demonstrates that the capital costs of wind, solar and hydropower are more than balanced by their low operational costs.



New innovative business models present an economic opportunity for incorporating renewable energy. For example, integrated desalination plants and electric cars (that can also be used to store excess energy) offer ways to reduce costs, increases efficiency and facilitate economic growth. The island community of Samso in Denmark is an example where community-owned renewable energy has helped drastically bring down carbon emissions. Wind turbines power 100% of their electricity needs, and 75% of heating needs are met through solar power and biomass. The community also makes a profit by selling excess energy to the mainland.


Renewable Energy Sustainability


Replacing traditional sources of energy completely with renewable energy is going to be a challenging task. However, by adding renewable energy to the grid and gradually increasing its contribution we can realistically expect a future that is powered completely by green energy.



If we act now, we can mitigate the threat to our planet, reduce our dependence on limited traditional sources of energy and provide every person with their fundamental right – access to energy.



This original piece was authored by, Tulsi Tanti the Chairman of Suzlon Energy and a founding signatory of the World Economic Forum’s Energy for Society Initiative.