Is it possible to understand the state of play of the renewable energy sector in Côte d’Ivoire?

The importance of resources

The sun, permanent. However…

With an average solar flux estimated over the entire territory at around 5 kWh / m2 / day, the country does not have any national scale projects in photovoltaic or thermal solar energy …

With a CNS (National Solar Council) set up only in September 2000 after the Hararé World Solar Summit (September 1996) and which never really functioned and a Research Institute for New Energies (IREN), functioning as a small laboratory because dependent on the University of Abobo Adjamé, the country was recently delighted to be the third best electrified country in West Africa, behind Nigeria and Ghana!

The country continues to play the energy independent states with its six hydroelectric dams, its oil and natural gas by selling electricity while nearly half of its population lives more than a third of a day in the city. ‘darkness…

Biofuels and biogas: simply disinterest …

While its Malian and Senegalese neighbors, it is true, less well off, have set up respectively a National Development Agency and a ministry in charge of biofuels, Côte d’Ivoire has not yet worried about the colossal extension projects. lawless cultivation of Jatropha curcas, initiated by private companies, in the northern half of the country.

It must be said that the country has other priorities …

On the other hand, despite the possibility of biogas production (by the well-known methanization technology), from the tons of organic waste produced only in the agglomeration of its capital Abidjan, sporadic “sweeping” operations continue to be carried out. cost extremely dear to the World Bank.

So many issues !

At the socio-economic level, the diffusion of renewable energies reduces the gap between rural and urban dwellers and thus contributes to the fight against the rural exodus, in addition to the reduction of dependence on fossil fuels.

In addition, renewable energies are real vectors of economic development insofar as they (renewable energies) can offer real opportunities for improving the local economy, through the many jobs generated.

We know: electricity is a factor allowing major socioeconomic transformations in both rural and urban areas because it accelerates development by facilitating agricultural and industrial work, facilitates education especially through the use of computer systems, and also contributes to the improvement of the health system which relies eminently on refrigeration systems and medical equipment.

At the environmental level, the preservation of forests (if there are still any) and the reduction of pollution by greenhouse gases, due to the use of fossil fuels, are the main challenges of the democratization of renewable energies. .

In terms of energy, the diversification of energy sources inevitably strengthens energy independence …

Faced with too important stakes, (at a time when the entire biosphere speaks of climate change and drastic reduction of fossil fuel stocks in the following decades), is there a miracle recipe to encourage a State spoiled by nature? to initiate reflection on the diffusion of renewable energies?

Christophe GBOSSOU (cgbossou@yahoo.fr)