With the power cuts we have been suffering from, would it not be wonderful if each person generates their own power and not have to rely on the power grid? Imagine if each apartment building had a group of solar panels, everyone would be self sufficient and no one would suffer from power cuts. Of course, this utopian ideal is difficult to apply immediately; however, there are steps that are being taken in Egypt to encourage the use of solar power.
According to pv magazine "the Egyptian Government has announced plans to invest up to $1 billion to develop several major solar energy projects". This comes as welcome news, as Egypt battles against energy problems that will take years to fix. There are several solar projects underway, one such project is Shamsak ya Masr initiative that "aims to increase the use of solar energy and lower the country's reliance on fossil fuel".
There are many rural villages and areas in Egypt that still lack proper access to electricity. Some still depend on old modes to light up their homes. In Haqfet Elgallas, a village in the Western Desert of Marsa Matruh, people still used gas-lit light bulbs until recently. However, Philips Egypt and Shell Egypt partnered up and installed solar panels that now light up around 15 houses and one school. They also installed two solar light centers that will provide lighting to the streets as well as a football stadium.
By lighting up Haqfet Elgallas, Philips is implementing its Light Center Project, which “involves the installation of 100 light centers across rural Africa by 2015, with projects already inaugurated in Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, and South Africa”.
These kinds of projects are very encouraging as well as promising, so is the budding solar energy sector. One company that has started working in the field is KarmSolar, which was established in 2011. Its mission is to provide "innovative off-grid solar energy solutions that are commercially viable and easy-to-use in the agricultural, industrial, and business sectors."
As I was travelling from Siwa to Alexandria, I saw solar panels at security checks along the road, and the sight truly made me happy, and I wished that one day I will not have to venture so far afield to see renewable energy being used.
As more and more people work towards finding sustainable energy solutions—that will provide people with the energy they need as well as leave the environment intact—the brighter the future will be.
If you are interested to see how solar panels are used, check out the video below:
References
greentechlead.com
pv-magazine.com
dailynewsegypt.com