Cameroon “Gets” Renewable Energy
This is a follow-up photo post to my previous entry How to Light An African Village. I’m enthusiastic about the innovations my housemates from Green Step observed in their recent foray into the village, so I wanted to highlight some of their discoveries. They completed a trip from Dschang to Bafoussam, Bamenda, Kumbo and Mbouda back to Buea in 60 hours—that’s travel through four provinces on some very unforgiving roads.
Along the way they made stops at three Cameroonian-founded and staffed NGOs dedicated to building renewable energy solutions from local materials. The work these groups are doing is nothing short of astounding. I’m far from being an expert in the field, but as an engineer of a different sort I’m able to recognize the sound application of appropriate technology when I see it. With a locally-built wind or water turbine the notion of a Cameroonian village lit with LED light fixtures isn’t so farfetched.
Scroll down to the bottom of Green Step’s blog entry for more details about their trip and the Cameroonian entrepreneurs they met.
5 Responses
to “Cameroon “Gets” Renewable Energy”
1 Trackback(s)
- Jan 15, 2009: Some blogs money-savvy (or wannabes) may enjoy | Nancy Zimmerman: a canadian money coach (not a financial planner!)
I felt pretty enthusiastic, too, seeing the pictures of these innovations, and I felt very curious about the recourceful, local, Cameroonian scientists behind them. I’ll be checking in at the GreenStep blog to read more. Thank you. I hope you and your housemates and your plantain and papaya trees (the ones you once blogged about) are doing well.
I’m just astounded by the level of inventiveness, hard work and sheer creativity I’ve witnessed in Cameroon over the last six months. During that brief time I’ve been introduced to a thriving tech scene in Buea, and now these groups pioneering real world solutions to Cameroon’s energy needs.
It’s equally encouraging and exciting to be a part of it.
The fruit trees are doing well, especially the papaya and mangoes. No fruit for the morning corn flakes (yet)…but soon.
I am not an expert on all things renewable, but I think about it a lot. I think it is so important for technologies in Cameroon to be as eco-friendly as possible…safe for the land and crops, safe for people, and perhaps most of all, safe for children–little scientists themselves who go everywhere and poke their ever-curious fingers into everything.
I like the idea of smaller problems and safe, person-centered solutions that people can come up with using the things available to them, ideally things that aren’t damaging to the environment. I suspect this is being idealistic, but I really do favor working at things small-scale. This is why plantation agriculture makes me nervous–it creates large problems that need large solutions.
On the subject of eco-friendly solutions to tiny but thorny issues, I found an earlier blog entry you made that I think is appropriate for this discussion of renewable things. It is an entry that made me remember the “Sheltox” we used when I was growing up. I disliked the smell of it and the fact that the house had to be vacated every time it was used. I think your idea puts the Sheltox (or the Moon Tiger) way to shame. It’s a “solution” (liquid) that is an awesome solution.
http://www.27months.com/2006/11/adieu-moon-tiger/
It is important for Cameroonians to consider what comes into their environment, since most people have such a direct connection to the land–through, among other things, all those beautiful trees with yummy fruits that Cameroon is so blessed with.
Speaking of fruits, mangoes are number 1, as far as I’m concerned. But there is something truly, tartly appealing about the sour sop. It is beautiful. In taste and in spirit, it is the spiky, fleshy, well fed brother of the fuzzy baobab fruit.
Renewable Energy got into more focuse in this decade because everyone does not want to depend on Oil.-’`