Micro-generation Potential in Cameroon

As previously noted, when developing renewable energy resources, while employing sustainable design of micro-generation facilities, it is important to examine hybrid micro generation.

Writing for Renewable Energy Access, Jane Burgermeister1 has a wonderful story about the Germany-based organization, Green Step, and how organizers will teach people in the town of M’muock to build and operate small renewable energy plants out of wood and old car and radio parts.

Small wind turbine made from locally sourced parts


“Johannes Hertlein, co-founder of Green Step, plans to teach people in the town how to make the wind turbines using wood for blades, and shafts, poles and scrap metal from cars for the rotor plates, disks and generators. He will use copper wire for coils. Magnets to improve a turbine’s efficiency are the only parts that will need to be imported from outside.”

The 7,000-person town in Cameroon is the site for a pilot project that teaches local inhabitants to construct their own wind turbines and hydroelectric plants. At present, there is no connection to the national electricity grid. The idea is to foster a local renewable energy initiative, consisting of a number of installations made from wood and old car and radio parts. Each one would generate between 500 and 1000 W/h of electricity, which is a quite small amount compared with home usage in nations with highly developed systems of delivering electric power.

While energy storage can allow for off-grid installation, it is relatively inefficient and expensive. Since this off-grid project is sponsored by the World Bank, one might suspect that it is another example of their effort to encourage the adoption of electricity from centralized sources. Give the people of taste of electricity from micro-financed, distributed resources in order to create demand for more, that is more easily supplied from a grid and large projects.

Town in Cameroon


According to a World Bank report from 2005, “ninety percent of the Cameroon people are not connected to the national electricity grid. Each person in Cameroon consumes an average of 160 KW/h of electricity a year.”

The REA European correspondent explains that the project will make use of old car batteries for electricity storage when there is no wind blowing. Johannes Hertlein, co-founder of Green Step “will give workshops on how to dispose of batteries and other waste as well as provide information on sustainable farming and protecting the town’s natural resources.”

When I first scanned the article, I thought, “Oh, how clever, I seem to recall seeing at least one example before of using wind power to pump water, which then is released for power generation.” In fact, it probably was a micro-hydro2 example. (See the Water Power example provided by OtherPower and a set of Pros and Cons provided at the Alternative Energy web site.)

I echoed others’ concerns about using old car batteries and expecting reliable storage. I also concurred with REA commentator Andrew Loxham, who perceived an opportunity to go DC, i.e., with direct current.

Micro generation is without doubt the right way ahead. Although I am surprised at the availability of wind energy below 1000 ft in that part of the African equatorial zone.

Every watt of electrical energy is precious and efforts should be made to integrate the production and storage platforms with effective procedures and equipment for reuse. In other words it is pointless using batteries to create voltage and current outputs to support conventional 120VAC / 240VAC usage systems.

Rapidly obtain support for high output LED technology lighting systems and use DC low voltage units, where energy is to be consumed by the community members.

microgenreport.jpg


“The use of small-scale power generation sources, like photovoltaics and wind micro-turbines, has tremendous potential as a way of improving energy network reliability and increasing the use of clean, renewable power. Much of the discussion of the components necessary for both energy generation and a distributed network focuses on the plausibility and utility of the technology itself.”

Jamais Cascio

REA commentator Steve Dentel worked in this area of Cameroon with Engineers Without Borders and perceives the plans as ambitious for a difficult region.

Even on hills we’ve surveyed, there’s little wind. Locals agree. Go slowly: build 1 turbine, get efficiency & output over a year (maybe that’s being done).

See if it’s mechanically reliable. Local materials are a priority but if frequent repairs are needed, it won’t be used long-term.

There’s also limited rainfall in this high plateau region, w/ dry season, small streams, sometimes no flow. Hydropower will need to consider localized conditions & needs.

This area is a difficult challenge for RE. Our own project’s solar, but, of course, not locally produced. But we’re close to equator, lots of clear weather.

I hope Green Step can meet these challenges and can figure out workable renewable energy systems for M’muock. I’ll be looking for a follow-up report on this site.

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