Africa: Wade proposes continental solar plant

  1. Posted on Thursday 17 December 2009 - 09:35
    Kemo
    Image of Kemo
    Kemo Cham, AfricaNews reporter in Dakar, Senegal
    Senegalese president, Abdoulaye Wade, has made a proposal that could turn the phenomenon of global warming into a 'treasure' rather than the curse it has always been associated with. He is suggesting the building of a solar power plant that would cater for the energy needs of the entire African continent.
    Solar1.jpg
    President Wade who was speaking in the ongoing climate talks in the Denish capital of Copenhagen, Wednesday told the plenary session of the UN climate talks that such a massive project could be housed in the Sahara Desert, and that it could provide free energy to the whole continent and beyond.

    "We, African politicians, we want to create a solar power plant in the Sahara, 100,000 megawatts," Wade said. And he added, "We have the heat the sun sends to our soil. Global warming is a treasure!"

    According to the president, with the establishment of this project, "After a year, the cost of solar energy will be reduced by one third and then after seven years it could fall to zero. We can then provide a free energy in Africa’’

    President Wade put the cost of this epic project at about $ 350 billion (240 billion euros).
    "With this project, Africa will catch up. Africa will become the last frontier because it will receive all the scientists of the world to develop this great continent," he said.

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