AFRICA OUR ONE COUNTRY
AFRICA OUR ONE COUNTRY
AFRICA OUR ONE COUNTRY
SUNSHINE
The Sun shines best in Africa. We all know that it's life and health giving waves are also tapped through solar panels as an energy source to run devices of everyday use. The come in sizes and capacities ranging from pocket sized to roof-size and larger for varying purposes. We've been told that thanks to its prohibitive purchase prices, we are making do with thermal and maybe later, wind energy among other alternatives to hydro-electricity. When the semantics are drained off the discussion, everyone seems to agree that solar energy is the way of the future. It is the easiest to access renewable source that will soon power most of our factories, hospitals, street lighting, cars, phones and household devices. We can't afford the power-cuts. And most of us are not getting ready to own power generators. The governments will have to take this up to make solar panels available at reasonable costs to the people. What stands in the way is the financial price we have to pay to realize this. This hurdle will be surmounted if our electrical and mechanical engineering specialists, free-lancers, students and lecturers are tasked to invent the most powerful cost effective solar panel ever within the next year or so. Imagine what we'd come up with given the geniuses that are into physics in Africa.
On the other hand, there are things we can do while we wait for that to materialize. There already are outfits that sell them on the continent. These can be patronized on the government level if we can through them come to agreements with the manufacturers. Numerous facilities in the business of manufacturing solar panels are busy updating their products. Like all other contraptions , the more available they become the more affordable they become.
Instead of remaining eternal victims of the somewhat inevitable-somewhat avoidable problems that have resulted from our over dependence on hydro-energy, a significant portion of the energy departments' budgets should be devoted to solar panel acquisition and conclusive research. The significant portion could start off as about half and increase with time.
We've been stuck with what we came to meet largely because the desire inside us to forge ahead is only now rising from it's slumber. Whenever we hear about a power shortage or the rationing of energy, we should know we're not doing something right. Of course there will always be vested interests that stand to be lost should such a switch be made. These will defend the status-quo and try to slow down the transition. Those that will be conditioned to get on board will get a soft landing. This requires a school syllabus for electrical engineering that teaches the relevant material from a very early stage.
As we get on fire for solar on the governmental level, even if it's going to mean aquiring foreign aid to get this underway, Africa will definitely come up with some favorable purchasing arrangements while our own brains craft what they may, instead of the electricity cable-teak poles connections we seek to fill the nation with.
Solar Power should be the way for the Sunshine continent. This is not merely a play of words. It will place the power back in the hands of our people. And that's what guarantees progress. Power to The People!
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