PART VI: Environment and waste management

Title: Potential Application of Solar Energy in Sudan

Author(s): Siddig A. Omer

Address: University of Nottingham, UK

Reference: First Sudanese Diaspora International Conference - 2009 pp. 151 - 163

Abstract/Summary: Sudan is a vast country with extended remote rural areas, where the limited grid electricity can hardly reach. Biomass remains the main source of energy for most households, and this is under threat as deforestation is expanding rapidly due to frequent droughts and high fuel wood consumption rate. Hydropower is currently the main source for electricity supply (87 % of Sudan electricity is provided from hydropower) for most of Sudan fragile grid network but, this hardly meets the need of a small proportional of the population. Sudan also enjoys reasonable wind energy resources, with average annual wind speed exceeding 3m⁄s in many parts of the country. This range of wind speed is well suited to water pumping in some parts of the country, but falls short of the required wind turbines rated wind speed for electricity generation. Currently Sudan is producing considerable amount of oil, which meets part of its energy needs, however, most of this is exported as a main Government income, beside agricultural products. At the same time Sudan enjoys high annual average solar radiation levels throughout the country (approximately 6 kWh⁄m2⁄day). This if exploited would meet needs of most of the population, particularly in the rural area where grid electricity is not readily available. This paper outlines some of the potential applications that could be powered using solar energy in the Sudan, and explores the status of some ofthese technologies.

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