Are all bound to go up and it is funny, because the factors involved are all part of a vicious cycle.
ELECTRICITY
The Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) incurred an electricity bill of 1.2 Billion Kenyan Shillings last year; in today's exchange rates - this would equal $15 Million (this is a huge dent to any form of operation)
You can relate this to the post I had yesterday about rain. Quoting from Nation's Business Daily: (read article here)
For oil products delivered to Nakuru, marketers will pay 70 cents more per litre and 90 cents more per litre for Kisumu-bound products.
This really sucks, if you ask me. That marginal price has great effects down the line especially on industrial production that requires fuel.
ELECTRICITY II
So, if the fossil fuel prices go up, and the price of fuel is raised because of this uptick, won't the price of electricity just go up again and encourage this cycle to continue?
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Let it Rain
The drought that has struck major parts of Kenya (& East Africa) in the past year will have its full effects felt in the next months if rain fails again.
Masinga Dam (40 MW Capacity) is in the danger of being shut down if water levels fall below the 1036 meter mark. It is already operating at 18 MW :- 45% of Capacity.
Some Education
1MW can power about 800 *American* homes. If you use my arbitrary conversion rate of 1 American Home Power Consumption = 8 African Homes Power Consumption, then we are looking at an equivalent of about 250K Kenyan homes. (These figures are guesstimates that rely on practical residential power usage and might in fact be conservative).
So what happens?
The water will thus have to be passed over to Kindaruma Dam, which is next in line among the 7 Folks dam that supply much of Kenya's electricity. The water would be used to maximize capacity.
Water, Water, Water...
It is of importance to note that it is actually water that is the "fuel" here and since May 2007, water levels have been low such that the dams have not been able to operate at full capacity or will not be able to operate at all.
I referenced an article from the Daily Nation. Access it here
Masinga Dam (40 MW Capacity) is in the danger of being shut down if water levels fall below the 1036 meter mark. It is already operating at 18 MW :- 45% of Capacity.
Some Education
1MW can power about 800 *American* homes. If you use my arbitrary conversion rate of 1 American Home Power Consumption = 8 African Homes Power Consumption, then we are looking at an equivalent of about 250K Kenyan homes. (These figures are guesstimates that rely on practical residential power usage and might in fact be conservative).
So what happens?
The water will thus have to be passed over to Kindaruma Dam, which is next in line among the 7 Folks dam that supply much of Kenya's electricity. The water would be used to maximize capacity.
Water, Water, Water...
It is of importance to note that it is actually water that is the "fuel" here and since May 2007, water levels have been low such that the dams have not been able to operate at full capacity or will not be able to operate at all.
I referenced an article from the Daily Nation. Access it here
Monday, April 6, 2009
Green Africa: Slum Cooker
Sunday, April 5, 2009
From the Sunday Talking Heads
I think that Fareed Zakaria's piece in this week's Newsweek is worth a read. I like the perspectives that Fareed often takes with current issues.
Read here: Fareed's take on how to achieve energy independence.
Read here: Fareed's take on how to achieve energy independence.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Friday Frites
Mau Forest, Rift Valley, Kenya
The Task Force that was put together by Kenya's Prime Minister, Raila Odinga revealed today the inappropiation of the land in Mau Forest.
This is disgusting because of the fact that Mau Forest itself is an important water catchment area for the rest of Kenya. I think people need to drop the notion that a forest is just a forest and all what it is good for is makaa (charcoal)
Read the rest of the story from the Daily Nation
Disputing the speed at which earth is warming up
The Cato Institute use major dollars to dispute the need of urgency to combat climate change. Hmmmm... see the ad here
Using Less energy is not turning into a Hippie
This is perhaps the most brilliant article that I have read regarding energy use reduction. The assumption that people SACRIFICE to use less energy is bogus. For most part, it just means efficiency. Read the article here
Talking of efficiency... This is efficiency: Fishing in Lake Naivasha
The Task Force that was put together by Kenya's Prime Minister, Raila Odinga revealed today the inappropiation of the land in Mau Forest.
This is disgusting because of the fact that Mau Forest itself is an important water catchment area for the rest of Kenya. I think people need to drop the notion that a forest is just a forest and all what it is good for is makaa (charcoal)
Read the rest of the story from the Daily Nation
Disputing the speed at which earth is warming up
The Cato Institute use major dollars to dispute the need of urgency to combat climate change. Hmmmm... see the ad here
Using Less energy is not turning into a Hippie
This is perhaps the most brilliant article that I have read regarding energy use reduction. The assumption that people SACRIFICE to use less energy is bogus. For most part, it just means efficiency. Read the article here
Talking of efficiency... This is efficiency: Fishing in Lake Naivasha
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Maker Faire
Just the kind of conferences we need; I am starting to really like the role Koffi Anan is playing.
http://makerfaireafrica.com/
http://makerfaireafrica.com/
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Designer Clothing
It is April already, wow!
Observe this cycle: Farmers toil, farm hands get exposed to pesticides, poor Asians toil in sweatshops, one buys clothes in the west, the clothes are disposed and then the clothes are returned to the poor in Africa.
Are Africans too poor and second-class to rely on handouts? Even worse, are African farmers not worthy earning money from the cotton and yarn that they produce?
This system is clearly broken and I think that the end result should actually be in the recycling of used clothing instead of giving it back to Africans. Moreover, organizations that donate all these clothing should do a better job at tagging on the supply chain instead of transporting the clothes back to Africa.
If the farmers are empowered and given more money, then I do not think that the farmer plus those around him/her would need to be begging for clothes. This is just part of the thought that the more the world recycles, the better it is for Africa as it it will no longer be just another trash can.
Observe this cycle: Farmers toil, farm hands get exposed to pesticides, poor Asians toil in sweatshops, one buys clothes in the west, the clothes are disposed and then the clothes are returned to the poor in Africa.
Are Africans too poor and second-class to rely on handouts? Even worse, are African farmers not worthy earning money from the cotton and yarn that they produce?
This system is clearly broken and I think that the end result should actually be in the recycling of used clothing instead of giving it back to Africans. Moreover, organizations that donate all these clothing should do a better job at tagging on the supply chain instead of transporting the clothes back to Africa.
If the farmers are empowered and given more money, then I do not think that the farmer plus those around him/her would need to be begging for clothes. This is just part of the thought that the more the world recycles, the better it is for Africa as it it will no longer be just another trash can.
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