Success of empowering education system with solar energy » Capital News
KISII, Kenya, Sep 16 – Communities in semi-arid Northern Kenya, have embraced use of off-grid solar solutions as the main source of power, contributing to the country’s one hundred per cent transition to renewable energy goal by the year 2030.
Climate change, however, frequently leads to adverse and unpredictable effects such as drought and floods that terminates lives and livelihoods.
Use of solar energy, one of the key sources of clean energy, plays a critical role in addressing climate change effects.
Kenya Solar Installation Capacity Growth estimates a modest of 169.2MW by 2022.
Over a decade, Kenya’s energy sector has experienced a positive trajectory in the increase of installation, market size growth and government support.
In Bulla Rama village,Korakora, Garissa County which lies on the eye of intense insolation, 43 year old Khadija Mohammed washes dishes, while her three boys play outside their three grass torched houses as the goats run helter-skelter in the homestead.
Meanwhile, her elder daughter fixes the solar cables next to her house, ready use later at night.
Khadija, bought the solar panels 10 years ago to light her home, help her children do their homework and study at night before they retired to bed.
Previously, Khadija relied on a torch whose access to dry batteries was a big challenge.
She used to walk over 20 kilometers to fetch the batteries that was a burden to her.
With the introduction of the solar panels in this region, Khadija is among the first few people who own one easing life for her family.
“My children usually arrive home from school late in the evening after trekking for hours and they find the solar lighting on,” says Khadija.
She has managed to secure her goats by installing security lights which scare away marauding hyenas.
Khadija is also able to charge her mobile phone and neighbors’, she says since she never runs out of power.
Off-grid solar solutions are important in African countries in enhancing Sustainable Development Goal 7 owing to its affordability.
Forty one percent of new households between the year 2020 and 2030 are anticipated to embrace the technology contributions to academic performance in schools
Bulla Rahama Primary School Head teacher Mr Mohamed Omar Bashir remarks, use of solar as an alternative source of energy has ensured who enjoy uninterrupted power flow.
“Security within our school has improved because the students can arrive in school as early as 5 am remedial lessons and this has improved their performance ,” he said.
Since the education system in Kenya has gone, digital, teachers operate online to appraise themselves with the changed technology.
The school is yet to be connected to the National Grid because the cost is high.
“We are requesting for expansion of our solar plant because we have plenty of sun here and we only need funding to harvest it,” he said.
Mujahidin Osman, a grade seven student says the solar at home has enabled him to study from home in the evening and he has improved his performance in school.
The solar energy has helped the enabling the children family to perform homework unlike before.
Supply and installation of solar panels
D.light solar supplies officer in Garissa town-Ali Hassan, disclosed over 10,000 solar panels had been sold through agents within seven years.
The sales agents are equipped with technical skills in panel installation to connect clients with solar energy.
The panels are issued on loan to customers who commit to pay in installments offered for different packages including half a day, daily or monthly to access the tokens,” says Hassan.
Solar innovations and a need for fairness for Africa’s climate financing
Global Gas and Oil Network-Joab Okanda explains, solar energy is rapidly being adopted in Kenya. Innovations from solar power plants provide clean energy to households, schools and hospitals.
To make the panels affordable, the government is targeting their manufacturing to reduce importation costs and create jobs.
Okanda says ,Africa is transitioning to renewable energy, it requires resources, fairness in climate financing , equity and justice.” If we don’t transition into renewable energy climate change effects will multiply,”
Northern Kenya residents are feeling the impact of climate change presenting as drought, floods, deaths and loss of livelihoods.
“ Countries contributing to climate change crisis, should be responsible and finance poor countries with grants to mitigate and adapt ,” says Okanda.
Africa Regional Campaigner, Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative- Prince Papa says for Decades of fossil fuel extraction in Africa have not only failed to power and enrich the continent but have also failed to break the vicious cycles of debt injustice.
Coal, oil and gas extraction has left 600 million Africans without electricity access and made the sub-Saharan Africa a global energy poverty hotspot homes.
Prince adds, With the abundance of renewable energy potential (almost 40% of the global share, and 60% of the world’s best solar resources) Africa receives a paltry 2% of the international investments in renewable energy.
Transitioning to holistic renewable energy can help reduce carbon emissions from greenhouses and align with the Paris Agreement of limiting temperatures to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius thus attaining a net-zero world by 2050.
With the renewable energy resources, the 2022 Energy Progress Report indicates, the continent is the least electrified with close to 600 million people without the power connectivity.
During the African climate summit in Nairobi, September African countries made commitments towards the Nairobi declaration with pledges of $23 billion for green growth, mitigation and adaptation to climate effects,$4.5 billion pledge by UAE to boost renewable energy in the continent.
President Ruto had called African counties to increase investment in green opportunities to unlock and called for investment in renewable energy and green industrialization to accelerate decarbonization, sustainable fuel development.
“We must see in green growth not just a climate imperative, but also a fountain of multi-billion-dollar economic opportunities that Africa and the World is primed to capitalize on,” he said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, called for renewed efforts to combat climate chaos and address financing injustice adding Africa can be a renewable energy superpower.
“Time is high to unite African countries with the developed ones, financial institutions and technology companies for creation of a true African Renewable Energy Alliance,” said Guterres.
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