The Solar Solution
Exploring Africa’s potential to harvest the sun’s energy
Around 600 million people across Africa lack access to electricity. According to World Atlas, the top 10 countries with lowest access to power are African, South Sudan being the least powered nation on earth. Just five percent of the troubled country’s population are able to enjoy the benefits of electricity, followed closely by Chad (6.4 percent) and Burundi (6.5 percent).
These deeply worrying statistics are prevalent despite the fact Africa is blessed with enormous potential to harness the power of the sun.
Add in the fact that the cost of utility-scale solar has dropped by over 90 percent since 2009 and it is surprising that more progress has not been made.
For rural communities, however, the answer may lie in smaller scale projects. “We are excited to see
local innovation and application of renewable energy increasing,” comments Saleem Abdulla, Managing Director, Sollatek Electronics (Kenya).
“From a young Masaai boy creating solar powered lights that repel lions, to cold storage for camel milk, Kenyan and African entrepreneurs are taking ownership of renewable energy to apply them towards specific needs and solve local problems. Some will not be replicable or scalable, but show that the renewable energy sector is maturing beyond imported solutions to home grown innovations.”
Discussing what is clearly a market full of potential for both Kenya and indeed the entire continent, Abdulla goes on to answer our questions.
Africa Outlook (AfO): What inspired you to work in the Kenyan/East African power sector and join Sollatek?
Saleem Abdulla (SA): It happened quite by accident actually. I am a certified accountant and having just got married, was working in Nairobi. My wife found Nairobi too cold and wanted to move somewhere warmer. I started applying for jobs and ended up as an accountant at Sollatek. I have risen through the ranks down the years and it’s now nine years since I first occupied the MD’s position.
AfO: How has the company’s presence across the region grown since it was established in 1985?
SA: We have developed our brand and reputation quite nicely – both geographically and in terms of our product offering. We started off with a small office and workshop in Mombasa. Over the years, we have built a distribution network encompassing the region, purchased a large building in Mombasa (which is
still our HQ base), set up an office and showroom in Nairobi and have service centres in most large towns and cities in the region.
AfO: What is your take on the renewable energy sector in Kenya and East Africa at the moment? Is it an exciting field to be working in?
SA: The renewable energy sector is currently very dynamic and incredibly exciting, not only for those of us running our businesses in this field but also for users of renewable energy products. Renewable energy products are today smaller and more affordable than ever before and technological developments have created myriad applications – renewable energy is today used to power appliances of all sizes and types. It is an absolute pleasure to be able to continue creating amazement in the lives of ordinary folk who, for so long, have had to make do with harmful and expensive sources of non-grid power.
AfO: Are you observing more public and private investment into renewable power projects?
SA: Yes absolutely. With the local electricity grids so badly underdeveloped and with the growth in population, the need for renewable power keeps getting bigger and is attracting increasing investment in the private sector. Today, large renewable energy products manufacturers find it viable to set up their own local operations extending up to the last mile consumer. The government is also playing its part, according tax incentives and investing in renewable energy. Over the last six years, the Kenyan government has completed renewable power (wind and solar) projects with a capacity of almost 500 MW.
AfO: Tell me about Sollatek’s regional footprint. What role are you playing in the development of renewable energy?
SA: Historically, Sollatek was a pioneer in the renewable (solar) energy field. This was in the late 1980s when the concept was considered alien and unworkable. We were also the first local company to partner with
a large manufacturer to achieve mass distribution of portable solar lights when this type of product was first introduced. Today, we focus on local projects, both large and small, where we are able to electrify communities and households and sell solar products, systems and appliances. Our aim is to be able to provide quality products and solutions at an affordable cost, with some degree of financing and strong after-sales support.
AfO: What are some of the key challenges the industry needs to overcome in order to maximise its potential?
SA: Enforcement of quality standards remains a major challenge with all sorts of substandard and counterfeit products readily being sold in local markets. Another big challenge is grey areas in tax legislation. Corrupt elements in key government bodies take full advantage through arbitrary changes in interpretation of tax incentives. This leads to incurrence of unforeseen costs as overnight, import duty becomes applicable on hitherto non-dutiable solar products.
AfO: How important will solar become in the long-term future of Africa’s power generation?
SA: Undoubtedly solar is the answer to Africa’s energy needs. The growing population, the failure to develop electric grids at the same rate, and the burgeoning middle class in African societies which consume more power per capital on a daily basis means solar will be the only long-term energy solution. Why would anyone think otherwise? Africa is blessed with sunshine – abundant, inexhaustible and non-discriminatory.
AfO: What trends are you monitoring at the moment? Are there any particular areas of innovation that Sollatek is focusing on?
Africa is blessed with sunshine – abundant, inexhaustible and nondiscriminatory”
SA: We are watching developments in battery technology with eager eyes. As usually the most expensive and unreliable component in a solar system, we feel this will be the next area of breakthrough. We will be looking for less expensive, lower life batteries which hopefully elinimate the use of heavy metals due to the end-of-life disposal risk. DC appliances has been another area that we have been exploring – as the number of independent solar installations increase and the grid’s lack of ability to keep up with demand, quality energy efficiency DC appliances are needed.
AfO: We see Sollatek has so far enabled 3.8 million Kenyans to have access to clean and affordable energy in rural areas. What are your ambitions for the rest of 2019 and beyond?
SA: We are very proud of this achievement and could not have done it without our loyal team and partners. We want to build on this achievement to provide another four million people in East Africa with access to clean, affordable energy. We are looking at achieving this by growing our solar department through school and health clinic lighting projects, increasing the sale of SHS and portable lanterns and solar powered appliances such as TV, fridges. freezers etc.