How to bring affordable, sustainable electricity to Africa | Rose M. Mutiso
Vložit
- čas přidán 18. 11. 2019
- Visit TED.com to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized Talk recommendations and more.
Energy poverty, or the lack of access to electricity and other basic energy services, affects nearly two-thirds of Sub-Saharan Africa. As the region's population continues to increase, so will the need to build a new energy system to grow with it, says Rose M. Mutiso. In a bold talk, she discusses how a balanced mix of solutions like solar, wind farms, geothermal power and modern grids could create a high-energy future for Africa -- providing reliable electricity, creating jobs and raising incomes.
Get TED Talks recommended just for you! Learn more at TED.com/signup.
The TED Talks channel features the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. You're welcome to link to or embed these videos, forward them to others and share these ideas with people you know. For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), submit a Media Request here: media-requests.TED.com
Follow TED on Twitter: / tedtalks
Like TED on Facebook: / ted
Subscribe to our channel: / ted - Věda a technologie
Super important TED talk. Biggest take-away; 'stop romanticising solutions that distract us from the core challenges'
Just a few hours ago I watched "The boy who harnessed the wind", and now this video is uploaded. Amazing.
Which, by the way, is a beautiful film
If one day you learn mathematics. Use it to verify that the amount of energy used to make wind turbines is greater than the energy they will ever produce. They kill thousands of birds and bats also.
@@antonp6917 oh well, I did not know this issue at all. I guess this is why I don't hear about windpower these years... I'm going to read on this topic this week, thanks! ☺️
However, my point was about the coincidence that happened to me and the beauty of the mentioned film, which is quite interesting hehe
@@tayamoskva the boy who harnesses wind. Thanks, i might check it out.
That movie is a great example of how access to energy can solve so many problems for communities
It's weird that Kenya has more power than it needs, but it just lacks the infrastructure to spread it.
California is having that infrastructure problem right now, just for different reasons.
It's actually due to the fact that the country's electricity distributer, has made decades long contracts with other companies. So when the Turkana wind farm was completed, due to existing contracts the energy it produces can't be added into the grid.
Oh such a powerful and important talk! I really hope that they are able to learn from mistakes made in the west, make a more efficient grid system and keep control out of the hands of the billionaires and in the hands of the people of Africa.
She's stunning and her voice is so calming. Great talk, I'm rooting for Africa and the work she is doing
Great talk! This speaks not only of Africa but also those of other countries who are in the same level of energy poverty.
Great talk. The needs of industry are indeed often forgotten in Africa's electricity discussion, which is incomprehensible since industrial development is an essential part of any country's development as a whole. Off-grid is a great solution for remote households, in places where building and maintaining a grid would be too expensive, but there needs to be some stable power infrastructure as well, for areas with higher population density, more industry, and opportunity for growth.
Yes
Sahara has plenty of potential to become a huge grid of solar panels. I don't know why humanity doesn't invest. Africans could be the responsible for free energy of the entire globe, this brings wealth to everyone.
Excellent quality talk. And a reality check for someone like me living in a rich country (Quebec, Canada).
One of the best TED talks I've ever seen.
Perfect! Just the information I was looking for. A Kiva loan is seeking funding for a major solar project (Altech) in Democratic Republic of Congo. They are nearing their funding goal. I wish them all great success.
So.. how???
Thank you for the eye opening presentation.
Brilliant talk! 👏👏👏👏👏
9:59-11:00 - Clever ,balanced and tempered in energy outlook for the continent without demonizing climate change.
Very very insightful. Asante
Wonderful woman!
Hopefully fusion power production will build on the foundation for African power infrastructure in the next century
Geley . Hopefully they can keep it maintained. Alas they let everything degrade after it has been built.
Small modular reactor is easier to implement.
SMR is more practical.
I mean fission reactor.
@@globalvillage423 Depends on where it's coming from, a private company fusion reactor could be safer and more economical, if the govt infrastructure isn't stable enough to manage a much more dangerous fission reactor.
For more than two years I worked as President of a company that wished to develop natural gas for the country of Senegal to replace Nigerian “bunker fuel” being burned by Senelec, the electricity producer in Senegal. The majority of problems presented against our plans were the Senegalese. It is a long and complicated story but unlike the articulate speaker I have real world experience attempting to solve the problem. By the way, a company owned by the Queen of England funded the project. Many have tried to help Africa and met similar obstacles.
Mind sharing the story?
Excellent and crucial. 🇰🇪
Great tedtalk.
This Energy Poverty image is so sad. We need to work together to paint a better image. Great talk!
Great talk
great talk
That was bold.
Lets just not romanticizing issue with some solar power stuff and wind energy ,what Africa needs is the well advanced infrastructure grid that will meets its core need of electricity at each and every household.
How cheap can you make a solar steam engine? A container of water, 300 magnifine glasses from a dollar store, the engine hand made, the magnetic energy maker maybe purchased. A way to track the light so the magnafine glasses so they are focused in burn mode. Some times inventions define countries? The car, the air plane. There is a lot of desert land that could be utilized. And also some small ideas get passed by. You may wish to pass by the invention but the idea is right.
Great
Wow
Nearly every station used to record the temperature for official records has been moved at least once over the past century with several having 3 or more distinct moves.
You could always go on changing things but there comes a time when you have to decide to stop.
@@dylswife8048 More money has been stolen from Africa than any other continent.
@@dylswife8048 Your first comment was hypocritical also but I never mention anything about it. Your either filled with hate or mislead by minsformation. To think that you can only go so far to help someone I don't even know you, never met you but there's nothing I wanted do to my best ability to help you. We're stronger together brother. Its easier to love than to hate.
Some nuclear fission in terms of SMRs would really be the low-carbon reliable and cheap energy source that Africa needs.
Nuclear is still deminized by media Since 70th
Small modular reactors do not exist yet. czcams.com/video/ifnqwZwmzys/video.html
Looking back three years the home solar + storage has given way to the shipping container of storage plus solar. There is no reason why wind can't be distributed. Africa is allowed it existing carbon intense infrastructure and what it's got to do to power it's cities, but the low dispersion goes so fast. It also seems like it would prevent migration to cities as life improves in villages. You talk about making things efficient but how much more cost efficient is a phone than a laptop. Microgrids are going to be important. BioLite and Zola is doing great work. My question is now with Nigeria starting to install the solar + shipping storage container is the rapid electrification going to but into the Great Green Wall and give it some inertia? Some African offshore wind might be sensible. It'd be great to see South Africa buy a Tesla power reserve.
I agree they should develop but with the backdrop of climate change we cannot afford any population to quadruple to a quarter of the world's population. If that happens there is no way to make it sustainable.
Ohw well if it isn't the West developing Africa, it will be China so it's going to happen nonetheless
@@jinjunliu2401 Was just saying all populations need to keep their numbers under control. Can't afford population explosions. That doesn't stop countries raising living standards.
Of course thats not going to happen. Thats what pandemics are for
McOinky actually china will probably decrease its population because of all the birth restrictions they’ve made in the past years lol china has already went through a population boom, and like its expected in the rest of the world, it will start to decrease, its estimated population will stabilize at about 10 billion people.
👏👏👏👏
It's insane how Africa has the most valuable resources in the world housed in her yet in 2019 the world is still discussing how can we give the source which is Africa a sustainable power source! It's sad how mankind hasn't truly reached its full potential in all this time!
It sounds like there is no consensus about whether to build more coal fired power plants or more recnewables or both.
Omg for 1 second I thought TED had Candace Owens on. 😂
Candace Owens is silly
Not likely. Candace Owens left
the plantation long ago.
@Jack Wells yeah she seems to have nailed the whole Nazis did nothing wrong except invade others mantra. 🤣
@Jack Wells What are you talking about you silly fascist
@Dennis Walker T-t-t-trigggered!
The corruption in South African government is EPIC from the TOP down where utilities are concerned: Clean air, clean water, energy, internet, mail, etc.. Most of the world will not do business with South Africa because of its well-earned tainted reputation. Remediate government and watch healthy growth begin!
J Jo. South Africa, is not Africa! The new President of SA (Cyril Ramaphosa), has hardly "got his foot in the door". (Richard Branson talks highly of him). He vows to stamp out corruption, but it's a huge job and won't happen overnight. I think we should give him a chance, before we talk the country down!Cheer up! One day your rose will bloom!
@@daverogers1245 I can't speak for all of Africa, just South Africa and I stand by what I posted. LAWS keep being signed into existence to the detriment of White race, and he's definitely pleased. I could go on but you're not interested in the truth. So, I'll wish you a good day!
Never mind! We're still the best at rugby!!!
I bet if you were to give access to electricity to everyone in Africa that doesnt have it and the money to pay for it most would just spend the on something else like food, schooling, and living expenses. Same with the choice of a small solar setup or the money it would cost to but it, most would probably choose the money imo. Alot of them probably prefer to not have wifi frying their brain and not having to depend on electricity. They need to come over here and show us how we dont really need it like we think we do.
If you hire me I will build it.
How many goats will you charge?
I think its so interesting the comments saying that the African continent should get itself together and figure out. Well, maybe Europe and America should have built itself alone instead of using african slaves too, but we know that didn't happen. It's time to fix the mistakes of the past and help create a just world for everyone.
Every home, business and covered parking rooftop should be solar panel covered making nearly everything we do solar powered, empowering everyone as their own electricity and vehicle solar ''gas'' station companies.
With fusion power, maybe
@@qm230 Solar power is existing technology that everyone can own and be personally empowered by. You're dreaming of a potential future technology.
THOR-I-UM
THOR-I-UM
sterling engines
Every sixty seconds in Africa...a minute passes
So they say.
If you donated just $30 to an african village, an african village would get $30
Together we can stop that
@@YourFatherVEVO unless you donate to UNICEF, then they get $1
Do you believe all 30 dollars goes to africa? Then how organization operate woth nothing?
What solution the lady is proposing?? I am simply confused.....
That's not really her concern. "We" means western countries will figure it out and fund it. As has always been the case
@@antonp6917 Your comment is a great example of the condescending and ignorant attitudes Western world has towards Africa. There are plenty of Africans (Rose included, who heads an energy research hub and an institute supporting African women researchers) who are working hard to solve Africa's problems on their own. At no point did she say we need Westerners to solve this problem for us.
Her point is that we cannot ignore the role of institutions in energy access, especially because 'tech solutions' are usually proposed as the solution to most of Africa's problems, when in reality the solutions we need are much more complex, slow and a lot less 'sexy'
@@LeeKnowsCatss she didn't need to say it. Its just what happens. Look at the Zulu language for example, they don't have a word for maintenance. Irmc
@@antonp6917 So because there is no word for 'maintenance' in Zulu, the entire African continent cannot depend on itself? What a weird argument
Good Lord she’s a beauty. Listen! Can you leave some pretty on the table for the rest of us!?
You look like you got a good portion of pretty yourself
Mark C 😊 Thank you!
how is this relevant
@@nanometer6079 rhetta paid the host a complement, and I paid her one. People being generous to one another always has a place.
How about real solutions to the problem at hand? Because the speaker in question certainly couldn't do it.
Over population,and corruption you said it Lady that's the start of the African problem ,theft is why many countries wont invest in Africa ,small sun driven units are available at very low cost however villages don't seem to be interested WHY ,because they want every thing for nothing and if given a system free of charge wont maintain the system ,that's your real problem Lady.
what african leaders need to focus on
Get some Nikola Tesla technology out there
China has to invest more in Africa
What kind of moron are you.
Mmm yes more communism please
I didn't catch any particular directions made. Just many concepts
Nearly as random and nonsensical as your comment.
@@antonp6917 I really just want to see a plan. A step by step directions
@@qm230 I think her main point is that the mind-set has to change first. People's perception of Africa has to change.
UK average consumption is 35GW not 100GW, China uses 972GW!
The thumbnail had me to believe that this was about agar.io
Just read an article mentioning how it might be better for poorer countries to have coal rather than no energy because it would increase their wealth, education, and lead to lower population increase, which may be better in the long run for climate than not burning coal
12:33-13:00
Shouldn't the African government be putting in the infrastructure?
African government?!?
Brad Stream as the lady said, thats whats supposed to happen in every country, but africa has a lot of corruption and stuff that wont let them develop
@@agme8045 So they need USA to "liberate" them?
@@jamesbrown99991 depends on what liberate means to you. It's usually used in a negative fashion.
11:46
Wow, Somalia is somehow eluminated according to NASA images, congrats!.
From the images, we can understand why they often refer to Subsaharan Africa as a symbol of poverty and backwardness. Where there is no or little access to cheap and stable electricity supply, there is always no or little progress.
Fast, cheap and exactly only Avasva projects.
this video is title "how to power africa" i dont see the how part discussed in the video at all? She talks about problems but offers no solutions not even theoretical ones.
Yeah I agree. She only wanted to highlight the problem but don't propose any solution to it.
12:33
The western nations are looked for solutions. Because Africans only destroy
The point actually is that you can't use simple solutions that would fit inside a TED Talk. It's more about the propper mindset that unfortunately tends to be reeealy dumb nowadays.
you were not listening
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽💚
She missed the most pressing issue why it hasn’t, doesn’t and, sadly, won’t work... tribalism. I ran into this everywhere I went, and until you quash tribalism, Africa will never flourish. When the world saw starving babies in Bidoa Somalia, less than 50 miles away, other Somali farmers were harvesting bumper crops. Until there is widespread acceptance of caring for the next village, clan or family, Africa will never progress.
Some good points but I can never understand why countries that build THEMSELVES up are somehow responsible for countries that don't. We in the western world pay a lot of money for the electricity that undeveloped countries seem to think is free or cheap and also seem to think that it is our responsibility to pay for them. Do not expect others to do for you what you should do for yourselves. If your leaders have not done this then it is time to remove them.
If you're from US my friend. Your country was NOT built by yourselves, your country was built above work and blood from African Slaves. If you are from Europe, your country was built by Romans, and enriched by the lands coquired and slaughtered from America. "God created the world but the dutch created the Netherlands. But South Africa made it Rich."
By the way, I'm Brazilian, don't let your bias make you forget Brazil the 9th biggest economy in the world, and the money Brazil has was constructed over being the second biggest destiny to slaved Africans (just before USA).
Maybe they could build up themselves if those western countries hadn't been and continue to take their resources from them and squash any attempts to keep those resources to develop on their own....🤷🏽♀️
why not back to trees?
🦋people need to open their eyes to others problems and start helping. Calm Down and stop being selfish
Make your government build infrastructure, and stop driving out the people who know how to run it. Same with the farmers who know how to grow food, stupid people who can't run their country and resist culture crying about not having.
Something tells me she’s NOT going to say a natural gas power plant.
Keyword is sustainable. The fuel by itself is not a long-term solution.
Natural gas is constantly being created.
@@20alphabet So is sunlight.
@adalaza So? So it’s not sustainable. Big deal. Let’s hypothetically say you’re right and we only have a 1000 years... or 500 years... or even 100 years of natural gas left (never mind the fact that our predictions are NEVER correct and we can already make this stuff from biomass right now) The point is that your patient (Africa) is dying on the operating table and you’re quibbling about whether to operate based on hypothetical “best” solutions. Don’t pick the “best”. Pick the most expedient and cost effective solution to implement RIGHT NOW given the context. This is triage. TRIAGE. Get your patient stable and self sufficient and THEN we can discuss more “sustainable” solutions.
@adalaza I’m sorry but your counter point is ridiculous. The whole point of triage is to implement a known, viable and easy to implement solution that may not be perfect, but works to address the immediate concerns given the resources and context of the patient. That’s what fossil fuel solutions are right now for most of the developing world. Radiation for a broken bone? What?!
MNC’s do not have to be involved. This technology has been around forever and is well known. It can be implemented locally with sufficient capital. Or they could be involved. But in the end who cares? What’s your objective? Helping improve the standard of living of millions immediately or entertaining wonderful ideas in your head indefinitely?
The ted talk is good and all but are we just gonna ignore that according to the first image australia was darker than africa
California wants affordable, sustainable electricity. Get it there first!?
Never happen with government in the way.
They're too busy preventing fires from the current system, and whining about pollution.
And Great Britain, our elderly can't afford to heat their homes in winter - it's called energy-poverty.
well spoken Africa's Thomas Edison
Cmon bro. Now thats a stretch.
Because online scams need to be ramped up.
I am sure Nigeria has the best internet as Romania :D
Lol 😆
@@dmtheone8652 maybe they can search novel ways to kill easter worshipers
@@antonp6917 man chill out. We all know that most of the internet hacks and money finish in Nigeria. No need to speak about hate and religion.
@@dmtheone8652 lets not talk about it. Sure
How about we do this in America more.
Maybe now they can bore their own wells for clean water. And one day even feed themselves.
Affordable = paid for by someone else in Australia, UK, US, Europe
It was ok for those countries and decedent's from those regions to rape Africa literally and figuratively of all their natural resources while simultaneously creating political havoc on the continent.
So Mr. Smarty pants time to maybe embrace that truth and give back something after all the generations siphoning the wealth resources out of that nation.
#STFU
@@Limitless_One the western world has been donating BILLIONS each year for decades to Africa and it's still a basket case because of the corruption and stupidity of the people having endless wars. After centuries of paying for the historical issues, it's time to stand on their own feet.
FYI if you can't have a sensible, intelligent and rational discussion maybe you belong in Africa with one of the moronic warlords destroying the continent
@@markc6714 "billions in aid to Africa" thats par for the course brotha!
Do you know how many millions of Africans were stolen and died just on the journey to the new world. Millions upon millions my friend.
Plus 500 years of free slave labor to build north America alone much less other territories.
And that's just a drop in the bucket.
Don't try to come in here with your ignorance about billions given back to the continent. Who are you to judge as to what's morally right on this planet!?
The perspective you write from shows you are clearly unqualified to contribute to the conversation.
You obviously live in an insular vacuum that shares these points of views with no context for the greater underpinnings of why Africa is in the state that it is in today.
You are brainwashed and have been programmed to believe the countries you mentioned in your original comment are the saviors of the world and did not cause any problems that exist on this planet.
Anyone who shares your beliefs need to wake up and maybe the blood that is on all of your hands for generations will come into view.
You are unqualified!!!
@@Limitless_One don't go outside, your aluminium foil hat will blow off.
@@markc6714 what's your opinion about France managing the wealth of and taxing Francophone Africa decades after their independence?
Leave Africa alone
Africa will never join the first world as long as there is; strongman politics, lack of free market economies, constant revolution and failed states.
Make Wakanda Great Again!
Africa is a continent , not a country
Africa is shithoe
When did she say it was?
@@antonp6917 it depends on the zone. do more research, they are more evolved that how you imagine and you would definitely be suprised.
@Billy Benji Films
She's black. You need to lower expectations like college admissions and government hiring quotas do.
20alphabet I speak with degreed color less people everyday who do not know how to properly spell or use proper grammar let alone common sense . Also around the corner from my home that I own are colorless people living in run down trailers . Talk about lowering expectations.
There are only three practical energy solutions for Africa. Nuclear, nuclear and nuclear.
Climate change is not about climate. its about politics. Coal would be your best choice and its plentiful. If we are going to feed the planet we will need much more co2 to grow the crops. There does not exist a scientific formula that shows temperature has anything to do with co2. If there was don't you think it would be presented to the world to end this silly debate.
Great idea. Please remember tho, that in the Zulu language there us no word for maintenance. Good luck with that Africa.
Maybe get some smart people to keep it going
Maintenance is not an English word either smarty !
@@fabricesioul3397 ok, sure. But if you dont have the word, how can you perform the action. How do you maintain your newly built electrical generating device?
You don't. So what you do is than once it breaks, you scratch your head and then maybe you fix it. Or Not.
Anton P I'm Kenyan and back in high school my kiswahili teacher told us this,there's no word in all the Kenyan tribes that translates to maintenance
@@brendahjeannette9107 wow, that's amazing. Thanks for sharing this little gem.
Fix the corruption first lol...
(Coal)
(is bad?)
It's all great, but.... no mention of encouraging keeping population numbers down as part of the solution? You know... education, birth control etc etc.
If only Africa had more mosquito nets, then every year we could save millions...
Of mosquitos from dying needlessly of AIDS
Not to steal the topic... But...Think of Iran where despite humongous oil wealth, people have to die paying to feel their gas tank or even worst, surfing the web!
BTW what about that larger dark zone in your map, also called Russia?
So be happy Africa with your purely dark unpolluted night sky.
....yes there are other problems but that doesn't mean that Africa's problem does not deserve any attention
imagine if your partner died, how would you feel if people said: " Hey at least you have quite a good life here in the West, imagine how much worse it must be for those widows in Africa who are also struggling to get enough food and water"
3 comment
Up
Down?
1:25
"...and climate change...With Africa's population set to quadruple by the end of the century, this is not a theoretical question. Africa needs a lot of energy and it needs it fast, because its population is booming and its economy needs to develop."
There is a lot to pick apart there...
1. While I think China is a problem simply because they are a single nation with a greater population of 1.4 billion compared to the 1.2 billion of Africa, why does Africa as a whole have a fertility rate average of 4.7, reaching as high as nearly 6. Seems like that might be a local issue...
www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/fertility/world-fertility-patterns-2015.pdf
2. Climate change is already a nope from me. If you don't understand the effects angular solar differences causing seasons and differences in average temperature, the milankovitch cycles, and the solar minimum/maximum cycles of the sun, than you don't understand just a few of the key pieces we do know missing from many of the predictions without taking into account the other factors we have yet to identify. We should continue to reduce CO2 to somewhat lower levels based on what they were prior to 1980s at least, but confusing the age of instant and constant awareness of global calamity does not mean it is so much worse, only that we are aware of it...there is barely any change in records for wildfires, tornadoes, and hurricanes of 30 years, to other records of 130 years, as one report points out, accurate recording of every event didn't occur until nearly the 1970s.
www.ncdc.noaa.gov/climate-information/extreme-events/us-tornado-climatology/trends
www.gfdl.noaa.gov/bibliography/related_files/gav0802.pdf
www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-wildfires
3. If you are against changing the climate and pro-modernization, what say do these people have in their own culture? Should development not come from an organic growth of the national culture? I would like to see all nations self sufficient and able to trade with their populations living prosperous lives, but there is a cultural context to all of that which is beyond the global community to define.
Ask Tesla. Or Elon Musk?
musk did and the locals smashed the solar panels up
Stitched closed Mouth Is that a joke? I can’t find any evidence of this happening.
Privately controlled energy companies would be great for African nations, yet few of them come to Africa out of fear of their corrupt governments and political instability.
If you have a link which shows Elon Musk bringing solar energy to African nations, I’d be interested to see that.
This is not a real conversation is it?
African's fault..... sort it out, you can if you have the will
Stephen Catton probably europe has a piece of guilt on this, aswell as in southamerica (the us too lol)
Its never africans fault
No, its the African's Problem. It's not their fault. You can't break someones legs and then point a finger and blame them for not being able to stand on their own.
10 minutes of talking and no proposed answer to the title question
We've taken care of African countries long enough. It's time for them to develop into something. Feed yourselves.
Edit: When she says "WE", she means save us Western Nations because we are clueless.
Is that the 'ROYAL' we?