A case study of status and potential of small hydro-power plants in southern African development community

Abstract

The Southern African development community is having a major challenge in connection with desires for energy in the region. There is the need to increase energy security and admittance to modern energy services immediately, particularly in the rural areas as well as addressing the challenges posed by the current energy systems on human health and the environmental. The rapid growth of renewable energy capacity in the region contains all the potentials that can answer to quite a lot of problems for instance: rapidly increasing electricity saturation, including remote areas detached from the grid infrastructure. Old resources need to be replaced as well as producing new once to adequately generate to meet the growing demand. Renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies in addition to services are an essential part of the new energy dynamic in the region. To meet these demands, the region needs to, rapidly develop and connect existing renewable energy resources and embrace energy efficiency, as a matter of priority. The existing potential sites in the region are mentioned and Small-scale hydropower is one of the most cost-effective energy technologies to be considered for electrification in the countries since it has low environmental impacts and can have a significant benefit if implemented in rural areas for electricity production. There is therefore the need for all development community, policy makers and regulators, local and global investors, developers and project promoters to support by providing funds, making good policies to protect the energy sector in other to solve the problem.