Problem Of The Lack Of Electricity In Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone’s access to electricity is reported to be one of the lowest in the world as it leaves more than 85% of the population deprived from electricity. Dr. Kaitel (a native Seira Leonen with a deep understanding of the country’s electricity crisis) when asked about the impacts of electricity shortage on the economy of his country, he was quick to respond stating “economic development is directly dependent on energy supply”. Electricity is the primary missing component which once addressed can resolve many of the barriers which halt the countries overall development. While political instability has been a key impediment to economic development, the lack of reliable and steady electricity supply has been an equally big problem. “The completion of the Bumbuna Hydroelectric dam about 7 years ago has helped a bit but climate change and deforestation has made power output intermittent and unreliable” as explained by Dr Kaitel, it is evident that thriving modern economies are energy dependent, as globalization and factories require electricity. Furthermore, it is important to acknowledge that the lack of electricity is additionally impacting citizens’ daily life. Foday Conteh, 27 a student explains “Studying with candles makes my course much harder - and expensive, as I am always having to buy more candles.” The insufficient and non-reusable methods to provide lighting are expensive and dangerous. Conteh later states “I often have to strain my eyes to see what is written in the books.” The lack of electricity is causing an endless cycle of poverty and impacts everyone's daily life all the way to the country’s overall economic state.

Access to electricity would generate a major positive change in Sierra Leone’s economy and its citizen's life. Efficient energy production enhances rural and urban industrial development, therefore more affordable means of production of goods and services. The most common means of power available and widely used is petrol or diesel generators by cause of the lack of stable public power supply in the region. Despite the use of genorators 96,8% of Sierra Leone’s population still utilize firewood or charcoal in order to cook. Sierra Leone is rich in natural resources when utalised they can assist in a movement towards a complete reliance on renewable energy, more specifically hydroelectric power alongside solar energy. The future of Sierra Leone lies on the education of the current generation of children, who ultimately impact the economy. Developing countries like Sierra Leone are confronted with many energy related problems of which the poor production capacity and the ineffective use of conventional forms of are the most eminent. Misuse of such traditional poses both environmental and health risks. In order to combat these current problems, new sustainable solutions need to be enovated as the current sources of electricity are unsafe.

It is evident that women and children are most impacted by these hazardous forms of lighting as they spend more time indoors in comparison to. A study conducted in 55 Kenyan households discovered that children up to four years old spend the majority of their time indoors regardless of their gender. Furthermore, females of all ages spend one to four hours additionally per day indoors than males. Moreover, children require light at home for studying, presently students resort to dangourus forms of lighting as they are the cheap and the only option. Hence women and children are more endangered by force of nature and roles in their society, studying and cooking both could be life threatening but also easily preventable through better accesibility to safe power supplies. Additionally these commonly used lighting devices are not providing efficient sources of light. Energy strategies for developing countries should aim to reinvasion and stabilize the production and usage of traditional energy.

Through doing various experimentations and calculations of efficiency and lifetime as well as taking into account cost, a simple one household solution could be utilizing three 5w bulbs in parallel and powering it through using a 12v car battery. The total cost will amount to 50.55chf. The LED bulb has a lifetime of more than 50000 hours which is equivalent to roughly 5.7 years before the light decreases by 50%. The cost is 14.60chf which is significantly more expensive in comparison to the other bulbs, with this being said when the lifetime and efficiency is comparison two the other two bulbs. The 15w bulb takes too much power but does not release that much it is wasteful as it consumes a lot but a lot of its consumption gets lost in heat, this was especially noticeable while doing the experiment as this bulb was the main bulb that would get extremely hot. Furthermore, it is not suitable for a household in Sierra Leone were the weather is extremely hot and they require more light. With this being said the 5w Barthelme bulb is for 1.20chf and when tested it consumed energy as less current was required for it to produce full light and though it is not as efficient as the led bulb and has a shorter lifespan of 24,000 hours which is equivalent to 3.2 years, it is 13.4chf cheaper. As the cost plays a major role in choosing it is a better option to use the 5w filament bulbs.

The best solution is putting the circuit in parallel as it provides the most light among both bulbs although it takes double the energy from the car battery which long term will mean it will have to be recharged more often the household will get the optimum usage out of it. Moreover, as I will be utilizing three bulbs series circuit is not the best option as the bulbs will be dimmer than before because less current will flow through them. In a series circuit if a bulb breaks all the circut will stop functioning on the other hand, in a parallel circuit, if a bulb breaks or a certain part stops working, the other parts of the circut function normaly.

In parallel circuits, resistance decreases while the current flowing through increases. Although these circuits require more current, it might be more preferred as it gives optimal lighting. The battery can be recharged using solar panels which can be paid for through different charities and can be put in the center of a village so that the whole village can use it. Since the climate is extremely hot in Sierra Leone all year the solar panel would be able to store a sufficient amount of sunlight which can be used as electricity and a means for recharging batteries. The battery is always neutrally charged because the charge moves around, however the current remains the same while entering and exiting. The ways batteries are charged is through an increase in its potential energy. This symbolizes that a chemical reaction has taken place and the energy collected can later be utilized as electric energy. As the total resistance of the circuit increases the current flowing through the circuit is reduced, thus the current decreases, additionally the bulb becomes dimmer. The reason batteries need to be recharged is due to the internal resistance which becomes greater over time, this causes it to stop producing a useful current. Therefore the battery must be recharged and the most reusable and way for Sierra Leone is through solar panels.

This solution is effective for one household however when looking to resolve this on a larger scale there needs to be a solution that is more cost effective that helps a wider scope of people, not just one family. Addressing independent households helps in alleviating poverty and improving the health conditions of the country. Improved energy supply to the rural areas consequently improves the economy and helps in reducing poverty. In the long term utilizing renewable energy is the primary goal as nations such as Sierra Leone would greatly benefit from using their geographical location to their advantage through the use of solar power.