Renewable energy and renewable skills
World Bank has published an article about renewable energy. They write that between 1990 and 2013 worldwide energy use increased by about 54 percent, more than the 36 percent increase in the global population.
Access to energy is fundamental to development, but as economies evolve, rising incomes and growing populations demand more energy. Sustainable Development Goal 7 seeks to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all and achieving this will require increasing access to electricity, the take-up of clean fuels and renewable energies, and energy efficiency.
Improvements over the past two decades has led to 85 percent of the world enjoying access to electricity in 2012. Nevertheless around 1.1 billion people are still without access to electricity. In Sub-Saharan Africa only 35 percent of the population has access to electricity, the lowest among all regions (World Bank).
Energy, especially electricity, is crucial to improving the standard of living for people in low- and middle-income countries. It is key to providing reliable and efficient lighting, heating, cooking, and mechanical power; to delivering clean water, sanitation, and healthcare; and to operating well functioning transport and telecommunications services. Modern energy services are central to the economic development of a country and to the welfare of its citizens. Without such services, businesses stagnate, and the potential of people to live healthy, productive lives is diminished.
Additional to engineers witch develop and plan for the electricity, we need skilled workers that can do the work on the ground. We need the people that can wire and install what is needed for the consumer to use the electricity. Also for solar power, we need skilled workers to install everything.
Modern renewables (such as biomass, geothermal, wind and solar) –currently around 1 percent of total consumption – have substantial potential for growth (World Bank). We can increase the use of renewable energy. To make that possible, we need to renew the skills for the skilled workers. This renewing of skills we will find in countries where the electricity consumption are high. In Sub-Saharan Africa where only 1/3 of the population has access to electricity, there is a huge lack of skilled workers to install the modern renewables.
Example of a simple solar light. If you buy one, you get light and you support the school (look here).
