Off-Grid Solar Energy to Triple in Africa
By Abdi Ali
Published October 14, 2017
Off-grid solar energy capacity in Africa is set to triple over the next five years.
International Energy Agency (IEA) says Solar is not only the fastest growing energy source in the world but that it is making a major impact in Africa.
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IEA forecasts that off-grid solar energy capacity in Africa is set to almost triple in the next five years, bringing “basic electricity services to almost 70 million more people” in black Africa and Asia.
IEA says in its 2017 report that the amount of power from solar grew by more than 50%, and has officially increased energy output globally at a faster rate than any other fuel. It highlights off-grid solar as a ‘dynamic’ sector set to accelerate this growth.
IEA says off-grid capacity in Africa and Asia is set to reach “over 3000 MW in 2022.”
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An illustration of how solar energy is transforming lives is a company called Lumos that is offering off-grid solar services in Nigeria.
Lumos launched its Mobile Electricity Service and the Y’ello Box in partnership with MTN in Nigeria in early 2017. The device transforms the sun’s energy into electricity and is paid for via mobile phone.
Yuri Tsitrinbaum, Chief Executive Officer of Lumos Nigeria, says, “This is the latest evidence that off-grid solar is providing the answer to growing energy demand in Africa. There is no other option available that can provide energy that is as affordable, reliable, and clean. We are changing the way people access electricity, and this is only the beginning. Mobile phones improved millions of lives, and now we are seeing the same thing with mobile electricity.”
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