Photovoltaic Solar Energy: A Mean to Reduce Energy Shortfall in Africa

Access to energy is a strategic priority in all regions of the world. Today, nearly 1.6 billion people, either 20% of the world’s population, lack access to modern energy and 3 billion people, either 40% of the world’s population depends on traditional biomass and coal as the main source of fuel. In Africa, issue of energy accessibility has always been at the heart of the debates because of the relentless shedding of power that is undermining the lives of many Africans. Outside of some countries in North Africa (Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, Egypt) which are doing well with an electrification rate above 90%, followed from South Africa to the south of the Sahara with an electrification rate of around 70%, the situation remains quite worrying in the middle of the continent with sub-Saharan Africa where this rate is below 50%. Africa’s renewable energy production potential is far greater than the continent’s current and estimated electricity consumption. Particularly for renewable energy, Africa has an outstanding solar energy potential of 10,000 GW. The objective of this work consist of exposing solar energy technology, the situation of energy shortfall in Africa and outlook of development of this sector