Volume 2, Issue No. 4, August/September 2013
Foreword by the Chair of Society of African Earth Scientists, Dr Chukwunyere Kamalu
Welcome to the tenth issue of
the bi-monthly newsletter of the Society of African Earth Scientists (SAES).
In the current issue we report on the Solar
Energy Photovoltaics workshop held on 22nd September 2013 including
some important and key issues arising
from the discussions among the workshop participants. A full workshop guide to a
24v solar photovoltaic energy system
installation will be provided on the SAES blog page at
saescientists.blogspot.com in the near future.
Associated Key Issues and Outcomes Arising from the Workshop
Against the odds, Sunday 22nd
September 2013 was a sunny day in north London, which augured well for the
Society of African Earth Scientists first solar energy photovoltaic workshop.
The workshop aimed to provide the basic
practical and theoretical knowledge of solar photovoltaic energy system
installation; and succeeded in imparting this to 4 persons including 3 members
of SAES.
Participants
in the workshop were: Chukwunyere Kamalu (facilitator), other members and a guest
of SAES, respectively, Mr Ifeanyi Okoye, Ms Iche Otonti and Mr Bo Sassegbon.
It was a lively and inquisitive group, keen
to grasp the details of the practical application of the workshop learning.
The discussions centred mostly on the
practicalities of solar installation in Nigeria, since this was the region
represented by the workshop participants.
 |
| Fig. 1 Two 12v solar panels. In series these 150W panels make a 24v array |
One key consideration on deciding whether to
go ahead with a solar project, that arose for discussion
It could be demonstrated that whilst solar
incurs a large initial expense, it repays the investment in the long term. But
monetary cost was not the only important consideration in the comparison: Examples
were shared of eastern Nigerian neighbourhoods where serious pollution and
health risk resulted from the fact of many households in close proximity owning
diesel generators.
 |
| Fig. 2 Charge Controller |
 |
| Fig. 3 Solar Charge Controller - in operation |
Another consideration in the workshop
discussion arising in terms of solar electricity project planning for Nigeria,
was the cost comparison of UK acquired solar components with those bought in
Nigeria. Certain portable solar electric system components that are
sufficiently portable to carry in a suitcase (like the charge controller and
even inverters up to 2000W, for instance) are cheaper purchased in the UK;
whilst solar panels may be cheaper in Nigeria.
This is especially the case, now that the Karshi solar panel
manufacturing plant has been established in Abuja, the Nigerian capital city.
It was envisaged that deep cycle batteries, another key component of the solar
photovoltaic energy installation, could also be purchased from suitable
suppliers in Nigeria.
 |
| Fig 4 Power Inverter - front view |
In the course of the day, workshop
participants were given the tools to design and setup a solar electric energy
system. All participants were likely to put this into practice at some point in
the future.
Participants were introduced
to the science behind photovoltaic energy: when light shines on a metallic
surface electrons may be released leading to the flow of electric current.
Participants were also introduced to electricity and the
concepts of electric charge – as the
build up of electricity; electric current
– flow of charge from a positive to
a negative terminal; and electric potential – the potential difference in energy between two points (the negative
and positive terminals).
 |
| Fig. 5 Batteries - 24v arrangement |
 |
| Fig 6 Power Inverter - rear view |
The workshop then went on to look at the
benefits we may anticipate to get from the off grid system; the 4 key
components of a solar electric system (the solar panels, charge controller,
power inverter and batteries); and
Earth Science Book
Reviews
Land and Power: Sustainable
Agriculture and African Americans by Jeffrey L Jordan, Edward Pennick, Walter A Hill and Robert Zabawa (eds).1
This
series of essays covers topics such as agrarian ethics emerging from slavery of
Africans in America, contemporary black environmental thought in rural
settings, the traditional African influence on black ecological thought; the
symbiotic exchange between African and native American world views, black
perspectives in sustainable agriculture, etc.
John Ferrel
gives a rare insight into the broad extent of the scientific achievements of
George Washington Carver2, including his use of plant
chemistry to make useful household items from plants. His essay also illustrates the possible
influence of Booker T Washington and the Tuskegee Institute (which employed
Carver) on the black agrarian and environmental movement.
Owusu
Bandele’s paper shows the cultural, social, environmental and political importance
of acquiring land in the bid to address African people’s alienation from the
land3. Among young African Americans in particular, Bandele observed
an apparent lack of interest in land beyond its dollar value and saw a need for
this to be addressed.
Core elements of a traditional
African ecological system are laid out in the essay by Kwasi Densu4
who says: “Indigenous African communities viewed the earth as a living,
concrete, yet spiritual reality. On multiple levels this core assumption was
integrated into the land ethic of the community... Invariably, human beings
are governed by the constraints and
order associated with the earth itself .” Densu also notes that traditional
African agricultural systems are agroecological in orientation and African land
tenure systems are defined by the commons and not by private ownership.
All in all, the volume is an interesting
collection of essays helping to define
African sustainable development as seen traditionally and in the diaspora.
Affiliation and Association
with other organisations
SAES is affiliated to the
African Association of Women in the Geosciences, Solar Sister, and is an active
supporter of the African led counter land grab initiatives, Stop Africa Land
Grab and Stop Land Grabbing.
Earth Science Events
November 24-26,
2013
7th International
Conference on African Geology
Venue: Assiut, Egypt
A conference to present new advances, and
research results in the fields of theoretical, experimental and applied geology
of Africa.
March 19, 20, 21, 2014
Association of African Women in the
Geosciences –
Day for Earth Sciences in Africa and
Middle East "Geoeducation,
geoheritage and Peace building in Africa and Middle East"
Venue: International
The
African Association of Women in Geosciences and the African Geoparks Network
are proclaiming the 20th March as a “Day for Earth Sciences in Africa and the
Middle East”
to
increase the awareness about the role that earth scientists could play to help
to build a peaceful, healthier and wealthier continent. This day was first
celebrated in 2013. In 2014, the day will be celebarated under the title
"Geoeducation, Geoheritage and Peace Building in Africa and Middle
East".
August
14-16, 2014
3rd Young Earth Scientists Congress, 25th
Colloquium on African Geology
“Earth Sciences for Improving Livelihood in Africa”
Venue: Mwalimu Julius Nyerere
Convention Centre, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
“CAG in Brief: The Colloquium of African
Geology (CAG) is a major
biennial meeting organized under the auspices of the Geological Society of
Africa (GSAf). Since the first Colloquium in 1965, the Colloquia have been
hosted by several European and African countries. The African countries that
had a chance to organize this event were Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Morocco,
Mozambique, Tunisia, South Africa and Ethiopia. Based on the decision of the
Geological Society of Africa (GSAf) General Assembly held on 14th January 2013
at the Millennium Hall, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (during the 24th Colloquium), the
organization of the next Colloquium of African Geology (CAG25) as well as the
15th Conference of the Geological Society of Africa was assigned to Brazil.
However, because of administrative problems in organizing the 25th CAG along
with the Brazilian Geological Society of Brazil Conference in September 2014,
the GSAf Council members decided to move the CAG25 to another country. Based on
the discussion between Prof. Aberra Mogessie (President of the Geological
Society of Africa) and Prof. Sospeter Muhongo, Minister of the Ministry of
Energy and Minerals of the United Republic of Tanzania, in Graz Austria, in
August 2013 it was decided to organize the CAG25 back to back with the 3rd YES
Congress in Tanzania. This decision was approved by the GSAf Council members.
The CAG25 is an independent meeting which will be organized by the Tanzania
Geological Society (TGS) under the auspices of the GSAf.”
References and Selected
Reading
1. Jordan J. L., E. Pennick, W. A. Hill, R. Zabawa (eds), Land & Power: Sustainable
agriculture and African Americans - A collection of essays from the
2007 Black environmental thought conference. Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), 2007.
2. Ferrel,
J.S., George Washington Carver: A Blazer
of Trails to a Sustainable Future, in Jordan, et al (eds), op.
cit., p.11.
3. Bandele,
O., The Deep Roots of Our Land-Based
Heritage: Cultural Social Political and Environmental Implications, in Jordan, et al (eds), op. cit., p.79.
4. Densu,
K., Theoretical and Historical
Perspectives on Agroecology and African American Farmers, in Jordan, et al (eds), op. cit., p.93.
5. Gupta,
S.K., Modern Hydrology and Sustainable
Water Development, Wiley-Blackwell, West Sussex, 2011.
6.
A link
on “Groundwater and Rural Water Supply in
Africa”: http://www.iah.org/downloads/occpub/IAH_ruralwater.pdf
7. Link to Journal of African Earth Sciences: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-african-earth-sciences/
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