Experience with PV systems in Africa. Summaries of selected cases

The majority of Africans have no access to electricity. In fact only around 30% of the population is connected to the electricity supply. Most of those lacking access are in rural and peri-urban areas where levels of economic development are still low and demand for employment and other services is highest.

Analysis in most countries indicates that extending the central grid to these areas will not be financially feasible in the short term; decentralised systems will be the most viable options for providing electricity here. Due to increasing concerns about environmental degradation, the use of renewable energy technologies is being promoted by international organisations, various governments and NGOs.

These technologies are expected to play an increasing role in electrification of Africa's rural and peri-urban areas, especially as the continent depends heavily on external support for electrification. With the abundance of solar resources in most African countries, the use of photovoltaic (PV) systems for solar-based electricity production is an attractive option, but the investment costs have been prohibitive of widespread application.

These costs are, however, gradually falling and Africa has grained some experience of PV systems for electrification, and the technology is still expected to be the dominant renewable energy technology for rural electrification in the future. Despite the obvious importance of, and advantages to be gained, from, sharing information with the aim of improving the efficiency of project implementation, most PV experience is hardly known outside of the individual counties.