Page 30 - Nigeria one mag 4 edition en

Energy Crisis and Solar Power as an Alternative in

Developing Countries

The world is experiencing a major energy crisis,
with countries across the globe affected by very
high and volatile prices, mainly of fossil fuels. This
precarious situation has acted as a crucible for
current events and trends in the global energy
market. In the last two years, the global energy
market experienced extreme price volatility during
the COVID 19 pandemic, when the supply chain was
broken, demand was reduced and supply
contracted; the resultant surge in demand
outstripped supply. To make a bad situation worse,
the Russian/Ukraine war has further disrupted
fossil fuel supplies in developed and developing
countries as Russia, the leading exporter of natural
gas and oil, has intentionally cut supplies.
If this trend continues, rising energy prices could
have a negative impact on developing countries,
with the brunt of the adverse effect of energy prices
felt by the most vulnerable persons in the society.
This predicament is having a severe impact on the
Solar energy in a Malagasy village
hard-won gains that have been made in providing
access to energy and reducing energy poverty. The For instance, in South Sudan, the deprivation issues
modest progress made has already been eroded as are only too well known – the country has endured
a result of the pandemic. This enormous challenge severe conflicts and disease outbreaks, widespread
is compounded by the finance and food crisis that malnutrition, worsening levels of poverty and is the
is experienced in developing countries as a result least electrified country in the world. To address
of the Russian/Ukraine conflict. Consequently, it some of these issues, the United Nations
has placed significant fiscal and social pressures International Children Emergency Funds (UNICEF)
on these countries' economic resources. has decided to provide solar powered refrigerators
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) to help eliminate poverty in the war stricken region.
an estimated 1.5 billion people across the globe lack A similar strategy was employed in Malawi by
access to a power grid. In developing countries, UNICEF, where solar power was used to provide
where this problem is much worse - finding and water pumps in the rural villages since the scarcity
utilizing renewable sources of energy has become of cleaning drinking water was an issue of serious
very crucial in resolving the energy crisis facing concern. The provision of the solar-powered water
developing countries as the cost of using fossil pump as an alternative to the fossil fuel not only
fuels to drive economic growth and development is increased the amount of clean water available, but
becoming impossible. As such, there is the need to it also enabled the provision of water during dry
source for an alternative source of energy. The seasons and during drought spells, this was
need for renewable energy such as solar energy important in helping farmers increase their crop
cannot wait, as by expanding the number of yield during the drought spells. Using solar power
persons who have access to power in developing to help eliminate poverty around the world is a
countries would result in fewer cases of disease reliable and renewable option that grants people
outbreak, water deprivation and education . never before seen resources.

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