Blackout.
For many Americans, this word describes a wild friend after a night out, a big win at Bingo or a temporary power outage for which they missed work, but for Africans across the continent, it is a way of life.
Several African countries including South Africa and Nigeria are facing the worst power crisis in recent years. About 24 percent of the Sub-Saharan population does not have access to electricity, and 25 nations struggle with rolling blackouts as a result of the continent-wide energy crisis. An entire two-thirds of the African population, roughly 600 million people, do not have access to electricity at all.
Fortunately, a solution may be well within reach in the form of an energy revolution. The African Progress Panel suggests that Africa has the potential to become a “global renewable energy superpower” by utilizing wind, solar and hydro-power.
Obviously, there is still a necessity to utilize fossil fuels in the short term. The price of coal in Africa, however, is increasing due to dwindling supplies. This may encourage citizens of African countries to turn to renewable sources like wind energy, the cost of which is going down as technologies continually improve and the energy revolution continues.
– Katie Pickle
Photo: CNN