RESOURCE CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SOLUTIONS
Background - description of the project
In Togo, where 72,6 % and 54,7% of the population is considered to be respectively poor and extremely poor (UNDP, 2006) more than 80% of the energy need is derived from biomass, causing a heavy impact on the forests. Besides exacerbating global warming and its impacts, deforestation and its ensuing desertification pose a serious threat to biodiversity and is a major cause in the degradation of hydrological basins and the destruction of water reserves. Most of the Togolese forests have been degraded and are regularly subjected to continuous cutting (especially as illegal logging is rampant), bush fires, and conflicts between communities trying to keep the remaining trees under their control. Even the one-time government-protected areas are being invaded by populations looking for firewood and wood for the production of charcoal.
Between 2000 and 2005 Togo had one of the world’s highest deforestation rates, and since 1990, 43.6 percent of its forests have been lost (Mongabay 2005). For the 15,000 ha deforested annually, only 1,000 ha will be reforested. According to projections done by the National Environment Action Plan, indicated that by 2020, should the current trend continue, the country would have lost all its forests with an annual demand of 477 Kilotonnes of charcoal and 2864 kilotonnes of firewood. The dire situation for the population is portrayed in the local proverb: ’when the last tree dies, the last man will die along with it’. Undoubtedly, halting deforestation is the most efficient way to assure a viable environment and to open up windows for economic development for many underprivileged, as even underlined in the Stern Report.
As more than 2/3 of houses do not have access to electricity, the only option for a dim light at night both for cooking, night business, security and reading is nothing but kerosene lamps. A household in Vo region is estimated to use an average of 5 litres of petroleum per lantern per month. A single lantern emits nearly 8 tons per year of carbon dioxide, thus contributing significantly to environmental damage. A study reveals that some families in average spend around 4000 F CFA per month (9,2 USD), almost half of the total income. Well-off families would spend three times that amount to fuel their generators. 59 % of families are either planning or dreaming about purchasing generators, for which school children would walk about 10-15 km to buy the fuel. The ministry of Health is sure about the fact that kerosene-fuel lamps constitute not only an environmental and economic issue but a worrying public health danger. Using kerosene, essentially smuggled in from Nigeria, several families end up severely injured or simply burned to death each year. Doctors believe the rampant pulmonary diseases are to a large extent attributable to inhaled smokes. Almost every Togolese man has a torch and spend 1,1 USD/month on the hazardous batteries.
In this very patriarchal and social prejudice-rich society, it has been very difficult for Togolese women to lift their families from poverty. Women’s expressed desire to participate in entrepreneurial affairs and ultimately access solar energy solutions has been hampered. Interestingly, according to a recent survey1, about 82% of the women of southern Togo strongly believe that access to a clean and affordable source of energy will drastically improve their livelihoods while 96% are totally convinced that access to small, low-interest loans will positively change their social status and enable them to gain greater voice both at family and community level. The Directorate of Energy estimates that the electricity grid will not reach those communities before 2030. Unfortunately, the socio-economic crisis from which the country is striving to recover prevents them from purchasing expensive solar equipments.
Solutions to address these vital issues do exist and are known to an extent by some privileged stakeholders, but the capacity to act effectively and the political support are blatantly lacking. Consequently, many success stories are neither known nor disseminated. For instance, charcoal saleswomen, noticing the dwindling in the production as a result of the rarefaction of their raw material, have organized but lack proper technical advice on how to tap into the incredible economic market offered by renewable energy. Moreover, the sunlight in the country, estimated at 6-7 KWh/m2/day provides great opportunity for the development of solar application, be it photovoltaic or thermal. The coast enjoys a promising wind speed while other renewable alternatives can be used to provide reliable sources of energy and income. On the other hand, more than 75% of the population does not have access to potable water (UNDP Human Development Report, 2008). The only readily available options are heavily contaminated rivers and far-distant lakes. Therefore water-borne diseases are rife, contributing to a high rate of infant mortality. Decreased school attendance and poor school results are also direct consequences as many children miss school days because of sickness or often arrive late. Lack of knowledge on simple and cost-free solar water pasteurisation techniques keep most of rural communities in the grip of water and energy poverty for many years to come.
Drawing from three years experience, Norges Naturvernforbund and JVE are determinedly convinced that setting up a centre for the development and promotion of people-oriented solutions to the energy problem will aid significantly in shifting hundreds of communities from the energy poverty paradigm to that of energy opportunities and improved living conditions while addressing the taboo issue of gender-based poverty in the country.
b. What will be the contribution of the project on a long-term basis (the development goal)?
This project is aimed at reducing deforestation and enabling underprivileged people in Togo to have access to affordable, reliable and environment-friendly energy and to energy-related knowledge, which will ultimately improve their living conditions
The main expected outcomes of the project are :
1. Important barriers for a widespread use of attractive, economic and energy-efficient technologies for cooking, lighting and water pasteurization are reduced
2. Capacity on sustainable energy solutions is increased for relevant stakeholders
