THE NEED FOR OFF GRID SERVICE COMPANIES IN ZAMBIA
THERE are seven key barriers that hinder the development of pico to small-hydropower in Africa and Zambia in particular, namely:
1) Lack of infrastructure in the design and manufacture of turbines, installation and
Operation (although these can be easily imported).
2) Lack of access to appropriate technologies for pico-, micro-, mini- and small hydropower. Networking, sharing of best practices and information dissemination through forums and conferences.
3) Lack of local capacity (local skills and know how) in developing small hydropower projects. There is the need for technical assistance in the planning, development and implementation.
4) Lack of information about potential sites (hydrological data).
5) Lack of awareness, incentives and motivation.
6) Lack of private sector participation in small hydropower development.
7) Lack of joint venture (public and private sector partnership).
Pico-hydro systems, which are also known as 'family hydro' since a single family can typically be responsible for the installation, utilization, and maintenance of the system and can deliver electricity at the scale of households and small communities. It can become an essential tool for expanding energy access in rural areas in Zambia for the more than 90% without access to electricity. Pico-hydropower covers all hydroelectricity units under a 5kW capacity.
The Pico-hydropower technology is very popular in Southeastern Asian countries such as in Laos, which is a regional lead user where Pico-Hydro units meet the needs of about 90,000 households and could serve 200,000 to 250,000 more. There are challenges, which will also be applicable to Zambia, related to education, maintenance, changing river flows, training, and applicability, which need to be overcome.
Big scale dams bring big scale impacts. Total installed capacity and investments in hydropower have dwarfed that of all other major renewable sources of energy. China roughly doubled its hydroelectric capacity from 2004 to 2009 and significant expansion is expected in Brazil, India, Russia, Turkey and Vietnam. Zambia is doing its bit by constructing the 750MW Kafue Gorge Lower. I remember as a kid wondering how bridges and dams are constructed in rivers full of water. As an engineer I now know that the river has to be diverted to allow the dam to be constructed in the dry. President Lungu was recently at the Kafue Gorge Lower Hydropower project site to inspect the river diversion works.
President Lungu Inspecting the River Diversion Works at Kafue Gorge Lower
Every year about four million people are displaced by activities relating to hydroelectricity construction or operation, and 80 million people have been displaced in the past 50 years from the construction of 300 large dams. Fortunately for us the Kafue Gorge Lower Hydropower project results in minimal displacement of people. Smaller, more efficient, environmentally friendly hydro-power systems bring many of the benefits of large hydroelectricity — reliability, simplicity, less maintenance, low operating expenses — without their immense costs.
The UK’s Department for International Development commissioned a study published in 2004 suggesting a global market for low head pico-hydro of around four million units based on willingness to pay estimates, proximity to a watercourse, and electrification status. This technology is becoming popular in countries outside Southeast Asia like Nepal, Ecuador, and Kenya, have also found widespread use for it.
Despite their popularity in Southeastern Asia, pico-hydro remains relatively obscure among available renewable energy technologies, especially in the international aid world. Some claim these organizations deliberately overlook this 'invisible technology' for the sake of more modern alternatives like solar panels or small wind turbines.
To be continued next week