The sub-Saharan African countries are well exposed to sunlight, with some of the highest solar intensities in the world. Northern and Southern Africa, particularly the Sahara and Kalahari deserts, have particularly promising conditions for con­centrated thermosolar plants for large-scale power production and deliver of electricity power not only to Africa, but to Europe as well. A grid of thermal solar panels called DESERTEC is ready to be installed. Construction of DESERTEC’s first 500-MW solar farm in Morocco is scheduled to start at the end of 2012.

Africa burns traditional biomass like wood, charcoal, and agricultural waste. How­ever, modern biofuel technologies are starting to replace traditional fuels, and offer broad potential for power generation and transport fuels. The continent’s tropical southeastern region, particularly Tanzania and Mozambique, has the right investment climate, soil, and transport infrastructure for a thriving biofuels industry.

Countries with vast stretches of wasteland very suitable for biofuels are:

• South Africa

• Angola

• Zambia

• Mozambique

• Ghana

• Ethiopia

A lot of sugarcane is cultivated not only in Brazil (see Chapter 13), but also in Africa. Bagasse is a promising byproduct of sugarcane that can be harnessed for energy. There is significant potential to convert more than 26 million tonnes of bagasse produced in Africa into energy. Bagasse can be pelletized, and can be burned to produce electricity or used to produce ethanol, biodiesel and even biokerosene.

Less than 2% of all registered Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) carbon market projects are situated in Africa. The main reason is the fact that potential emissions-saving opportunities in Africa tend to come from smaller projects, which discourages investors because the initial costs of $100 000-150 000 in setting up and registering CDM projects are too high for a meaningful return of investment.

All in all, there are increasing sustainable energy investments in biofuels:

• In Mauritius, cogeneration constitutes more than 40% of electricity generation.

• In Ethiopia, ethanol-gasoline blends are currently used to cover fuel shortages.

• Tanzania has attracted international investment for a 240-million-liter-per-year sweet sorghum ethanol facility and a 100-million-liter sugarcane plant.

• South Africa has channeled significant investment to the biofuels industry. The interest is spreading to neighboring countries, which have each more than double the land area suitable or very suitable for biofuels.

• Mali, Mozambique, and Ghana have Jatropha plantations, which are enlarged every year.

• Throughout the continent, the Moringa tree is taking Africa by storm and plantations are being started everywhere (see Chapter 4).

14.3