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Renewable Energy: Activities and Lessons Learned in 2015
As the Cameroon's population grows and the demand on limited fossil fuels increases, renewable energy has become a more pertinent as part of the solution to the impending energy dilemma. Nationally, renewable energy is now included in national policies, with goals for it to be a significant percentage of generated energy within the coming decades. A comprehensive overview that follows explores how we have used the solar and hydropower to provide sustainable energy solutions to many communities as well as individuals and social infrastructures in rural Cameroon.
Wabane – Banteng Health center
This project is the installation of a solar energy home system with the capacity of 400w in Banteng Health Center in Wabane South West Region of Cameroon. It was financed by a German organization with the objective of electrifying all the 16 rooms in the health center, including 4 security bulbs, powering a small size refrigerator and charging of at 20 phones per day. At the end, 4 staff members of Banteng Health center were trained on simple techniques of solar energy management and maintenance.
Three months later, this project was visited and first evaluation meeting held. Due to the presence of electricity in Banteng Health Center, many villagers while charging their mobile phones have time to consult in the health center thereby, increasing the number of patients as opposed to the pass (Banteng Health Center staff, 2015).
Malian-Foumban: Neighborhood Lights
Malian is a small community located in about 30km at the outskirt of Foumban. A solar energy of 750 watts, was financed by one elite from Malian community, to electrify 8 homes in his quarter, with 36 bulbs and powering one TV in one of the houses. The project started with preparatory meetings with all the beneficiaries in order to explain to them what solar energy is all about, how to use it, the advantages and the danger involved. When the materials arrived, the system was installed successfully. This solar system is the biggest in Malian village and many people from the neighboring quarters keep visiting and are astonish how one solar project can power up to 8 different households at the same time.Lesson learned: Small groups of people in isolated households can organized and raise revenue to install their own solar systems which will go a long way to improve on their living standards as it is the case with Malian-Foumban solar energy system.
Essoh-Attah Market ( Foreke-up)
In many remote areas, small income generating activities like the selling of cold fishes, charging of mobile phones with the use of solar energy also contribute to the improvement of living standards. Thus, the project in Essoh-Attah market was installed for a young business entrepreneur with the goal of selling of frozen fish. It should be noted that people use to travel for over 45km to buy frozen fish from Dschang, which usually gets bad within a shorter time. Now fish can be preserved for longer durations and made available to the Essoh-Attah local population at all time. Lesson Learned: Folks in rural areas no longer have to travel for several kilometers in order to buy essentials goods such as frozen fish and meat. The reliability of solar energy makes it an ideal source of energy for cold stores. Other small businesses could adopt this model as well.Micro Hydropower Projects
On the other hand, two different hydropower plants were studied in Foreke down Essoh-Attah South West, as well as in Ebendi village in Widikum North West regions of Cameroon. These projects are community projects which the pre-feasibility studies shall be completed in the dry season permitting us to have an idea about the maximum and minimum flow so as to know the maximum and minimum amount of the energy that can be generated from each site. It is after this study that the final project document including the cost estimation shall be established and the different funders contacted for funding possibilities.
By NJINKENG CONEY, Renewable Energy Consultant.
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