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Facilitating greater energy access in rural and remote areas of sub-Saharan Africa: Small hydropower

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  • Williams S Ebhota
  • Freddie L Inambao

Abstract

Flowing water has hydraulic energy that can be transformed into electrical energy, sub-Saharan Africa has an abundance of hydro resources that are untapped. In this study, various barriers limiting the use of small hydropower to tap the abundant hydro potentials for power generation are discussed. These barriers include insufficient fund; lack of adequate manufacturing infrastructure; lack of adequate power generation and distribution policies; inaccurate hydrological data; insufficient human and power infrastructure capacities; and inadequate domestic and regional participation in design and manufacture of small hydropower component devices and systems. This study sees hydro as a cleaner energy source and small hydropower as the best power system for rural and remote areas and for stand-alone electrification. For power sustainability in the region, public–private partnership, domestication of small hydropower technologies and less reliance on foreign technologies and international support are key factors.

Suggested Citation

  • Williams S Ebhota & Freddie L Inambao, 2017. "Facilitating greater energy access in rural and remote areas of sub-Saharan Africa: Small hydropower," Energy & Environment, , vol. 28(3), pages 316-329, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:engenv:v:28:y:2017:i:3:p:316-329
    DOI: 10.1177/0958305X16686448
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Barelli, L. & Liucci, L. & Ottaviano, A. & Valigi, D., 2013. "Mini-hydro: A design approach in case of torrential rivers," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 695-706.
    2. Richmond Atta-Ankomah, 2015. "Chinese Technologies and pro-poor industrialisation in Sub Saharan Africa: The case of furniture manufacturing in Kenya," Globelics Working Paper Series 2015-15, Globelics - Global Network for Economics of Learning, Innovation, and Competence Building Systems, Aalborg University, Department of Business and Management.
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    Cited by:

    1. Falchetta, Giacomo & Gernaat, David E.H.J. & Hunt, Julian & Sterl, Sebastian, 2019. "Hydropower dependency and climate change in sub-Saharan Africa: A nexus framework and evidence-based review," Earth Arxiv w7rj3, Center for Open Science.
    2. Alexandros Korkovelos & Dimitrios Mentis & Shahid Hussain Siyal & Christopher Arderne & Holger Rogner & Morgan Bazilian & Mark Howells & Hylke Beck & Ad De Roo, 2018. "A Geospatial Assessment of Small-Scale Hydropower Potential in Sub-Saharan Africa," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-21, November.

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