Powering up for renewable energies

The considerable potential of renewable energy to power much of Libya is attracting growing interest from countries wanting to sell technology and expertise.

Yesterday, Tuesday, a team of British specialists in renewables met with senior officials, academics and members of the GNC Energy Committee for a workshop to examine Libya’s potential to wean itself from fossil-fuel power generation. Khairi Quasim Agha, the Chairman of the Renewable Energy Authority, and British Ambassador Michael Aron led the event.

“Libya is far behind other countries in North Africa with renewables,” energy specialist John Hamilton told the Libya Herald, “but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.” He explained that, because it is a new sector in the country, it can develop quickly using the very latest technologies.

Renewable energy sources are not just limited to solar panels and wind farms. Bill Blakey, a UK-based energy consultant, said that Libya could address both renewable energies and its waste needs by considering integrating the two into anaerobic digestion plants.

These offer a way to manage biodegradable waste and produce fertiliser, free from toxic parabens, and energy. Blakey offered training opportunities in anaerobic digestion for ten Libyans to be selected by the Renewable Energy Authority, a body which falls under the Electricity Ministry.

Though there are those who remain sceptical of the financial case for renewable generation and others who warn the government has many more pressing challenges, there is a growing impetus to examine the sector, most recently at a renewable energy forum organised this January in Tripoli. [/restrict]