Electrification of sub-Saharan countries
Presentation Mr Sietse de Haan, chairman VZKC:
Mr Sietse de Haan, chairman of the VZKC, opened the meeting with a short presentation on the programme of the meeting and a graph to show how many people have access to electricity and clean cooking facilities. From this graph, it is then immediately apparent that there are still a lot of people who lack these facilities.
This is followed by a short presentation on what the Solar Power Association does, and that is to promote the Desertec idea in particular, with a special focus on Concentrated Solar Power with its special advantages integrated storage, electricity on demand and clean drinking water. All this connected through a super-grid. The price of Concentrated Solar Power is falling and is already well below the price of fossil fuels in the latest tenders in Australia.
Presentation Mr Bram van Ojik, 2nd MP for Green Left, and former group chairman and migration envoy for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
Mr van Ojik began his presentation by using a graph by Mr de Haan showing the energy flows from south to north as highlighted in the Desertec idea. These flows may as well represent migratory flows. The picture shows flows from North Africa and the Middle East towards southern Europe and further north, exactly as the flows are now in terms of refugees from these areas.
So one would say that exporting (solar) energy from these areas could be a great solution for the (economic) refugees from these areas. However, Mr van Ojik indicates that this is not so simple. He paints a picture of the conditions in these areas. First of all, one would think of the electricity supplies in these areas themselves. As Mr de Haan outlined, there are still large numbers of people in these areas who are still without electricity. So this problem has to be solved first. In addition, there is a high level of corruption in these areas. Without bribes, you won't actually get very far.
The question is then what can be done from the Netherlands to tackle these problems. Unfortunately, the Dutch government has mainly cut back on development aid to these areas in recent years. In the plans of the new cabinet, fortunately, more money has been earmarked again for aid to these areas, with the policy mainly focusing on four areas: poverty, migration, terror and climate change. Energy is therefore not (directly) included in this.
There are questions from the audience that mainly revolve around the question of what is the solution to the problems of the Sahara region. Several questioners tend to identify the speaker with the problem. Mr van OjOjik stressed that in his presentation he did not want to give an opinion, but mainly wanted to paint a picture of the situation in the region where the solution to the problems will consist of addressing various sub-areas. For instance, it is not just about improving legal security or the entrepreneurial spirit. Regarding the latter, a comparison was made with China. Mr van Ojik pressed us that there are of course cultural differences, but Africans also want to improve their situation. So it is about addressing several issues at once.
During the discussion with the participants in the room, a question eventually arises as to whether it would not be a good idea to include the relationship with African developing countries in the field of energy in the next Dutch energy agreement as well. Mr van Ojik responded positively to this idea; it would have to be elaborated further.
Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL):
Mr Dagnachew gives an overview of the situation in Sub-Saharan countries where a large part of mainly rural areas have no electricity. The question is then what kind of system would work best in these countries, centralised, decentralised, stand-alone ..
It turns out that large parts of the population do not live that far away from power lines. So this is apparently not the main problem. Decentralised generation in the form of mini-grids and standalone systems will play an important role in achieving access to electricity for the many households in poor areas far from the existing power grid. Mr Dagnachew also shows that there is great potential especially in solar and small-scale hydropower. Wind power is also there, but mainly in eastern Africa. A number of scenarios have been studied, the results of which Mr Dagnachew shows. In any case, a lot of money will be needed to invest in the electrification of sub-Saharan countries.
Some of the conclusions from the study are that with unchanged policies, general access to electricity will not be achieved in the Sub-Saharan countries, there may be synergies between achieving climate goals and general access to electricity, a carbon tax may lead to higher electricity prices, electrification of the region will not lead to an increase in CO2 emissions, achieving general access to electricity will require at least a tripling of the current level of investment, and decentralised systems will play an important role in achieving the United Nations' sustainable development goals.
For a more detailed account of the PBL study, see the attached presentation below and the accompanying PBL report.
Description
How to achieve this and the contribution it can make to solving the (refugee) problems of this region?
The afternoon we are organising is dedicated to the (refugee) problems of the Sub-Saharan countries.
the Sub-Saharan region is for the most part still deprived of electricity. Since those countries face many problems, perhaps part of the solution is if there is abundant cheap electricity.
the report discusses the (refugee) problems of this region and possibilities for improved reception in the region.
The Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) recently wrote a report on how to achieve this. One of the report's compilers will come and explain this report.
In the wake of electricity, relatively cheap drinking water can also be produced.
Thus, two important steps could be taken.
The lectures will last 30 minutes each with 15 minutes afterwards for asking questions.
So register at secretaris@zonnekrachtcentrales.nl.
and transfer €10.00 to bank account number: IBAN: NL08 RABO 0140 8494 40 t.n.v. Vereniging voor ZKC te Gouda
Speaker(s)
Mr Bram van Ojik, politician and former Groen Links group chairman, former migration envoy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the (refugees)
Mr Anteneh G Dagnachew, researcher at the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL).
Location
Nieuwe Markt 100, 2801 GR Gouda
Organiser
Elektrotechniek
VZKC (Association of Solar Power Plants)
Name and contact details for information
Siegfried Jansen Secretary Association for ZKC Kon. Wilhelminastraat 66 2811TW Reeuwijk
secretaris@zonnekrachtcentrales.nl
Association for Solar Power Plants
PLanbureau voor de Leefomgeving
Apply via
via the secretariat of the solar power plant association:
secretaris@zonnekrachtcentrales.nl