Electricity in Africa is becoming an increasing problem as supply is outstretched by demand. Power sharing is common in South Africa where new developments such as super markets have to regularly switch to their own generators. To add to the problem 16,000 workers at Eskom, South Africa’s biggest electricity firm have threatened to strike next week. Eskom is thought to produce 95% of South Africa’s electricity. The firm operates predominantly coal-fired power stations as well as Africa’s only nuclear-powered plant.
So what is the answer to Africa’s energy crisis?……….Wind?
Plans have been put into place to build the largest wind farm in Africa in Northern Kenya. The 365 giant turbines are thought to be able to generate a quater of Kenya’s currently installed power making it one of the highest proportions of wind energy in the world.
The high temperatures in the desert around Lake Turkana are perfect conditions for the turbines generating consistently strong winds. The remoteness of the site holds benefits and problems. It means less disturbance from noise pollution of which large wind turbines are under greater scrutiny but the location is extremely remote lying 300miles north of Nairobi. The project is thought to be completed in 2012.