School children from Kembu primary school holding solar lights, Longisa, Bomet County, Kenya (Flickr / Corrie Wingate Photography / SolarAid)

Elizabeth Balzani

Doug Long is a longtime avid reader of Green Energy Times (G.E.T.). Like many of our readers, he cares deeply about the state of the climate and the energy crisis, and wanted to share this message with G.E.T.

“I am forwarding an excellent article from the New York Times (NYT) that a neighbor forwarded to me. I think it would be an excellent article for G.E.T to mention in an upcoming G.E.T publication. I wouldn’t be surprised if you aren’t already aware of it!! I wasn’t sure whom to send this link, but I’m hoping one of you will know what to do with it. My wife and I have had a summer camp in Corinth, in the back woods of VT, off the grid for the last 30 years. We live in Massachusetts and don’t get up there as often as we’d like. Whenever we’re out in Barre or Bradford we always pick up the latest publication. We read it from cover to cover and I bring it back to MA and pass it on to some neighbors – in fact to the neighbor who forwarded me the NYT article below.”

The NYT article Long is referring to discusses the recent Mission 300 Energy Summit held in January to discuss how to deliver electrical energy to 300 million Africans over the course of the next five years. The World Bank and the heads of state from dozens of African countries were in attendance. Attendees also included The Islamic Development Bank, the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, the OPEC Fund, and l’Agence Française de Développement.

At the Summit, it was decided that US$35 billion total will be spent on energy expansion in Africa, and about half of this will go towards the development of solar grids. Twelve African countries agreed to National Energy Compacts, which are essentially specific policy, investment, and timeline goals each country needs to reach to successfully implement widespread solar electricity.

Currently, 75% of Africa’s electricity comes from fossil fuels, whereas only 60% comes from fossil fuels in the U.S. This is because people in Africa use high-emitting diesel to run generators. Using solar powered grids to provide electricity would alleviate some of this fossil fuel burning.

However, even though the Mission 300 Summit had climate implications, it was more about quality of life than climate change. Many people in Africa are tired of feeling left behind. They need electricity quickly and at the lowest possible cost.

With easier access to electricity, doors can open for education, jobs, and economic growth. Healthcare can improve and expand. Activities, education, and other public services will no longer be limited by daylight hours. Although it does not solve everything, providing solar grid electricity is one step in the right direction for millions of Africans.