Liberian Engineer's Take On Restoring Electricity In Liberia

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Liberian Engineer, Alex Swen

Electricity for Liberia in Six months

 

In the mist of innovative alternative power solutions, the Liberian government is asking for US$500 million for the complete rehabilitation of the existing Mount Coffee Hydro Plant and the construction of an upstream storage dam. Wind power, has become one of the fastest growing sources of electricity generation in the United States and the world, it is cheaper and affordable for everyone.

 

St. Paul Hydro Plant

 

Prior to the civil war in 1990, LEC could not meet the growing demand of electricity to its customers. At that stage, by some measures of turnover, it was the largest public corporation in Liberia. The Managing Director of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) Mr. Harry Yuan says Liberian Government needs “US$500 million for the complete rehabilitation of the existing St. Paul Hydro Plant and the construction of an upstream storage dam”

(http://www.liberianobserver.com/news/html). Thus, the scale of US$500 million for the complete rehabilitation of the existing Mount Coffee Hydro Plant has credibility. If the rehabilitation of the existing Plant is materialized at the given price tag by the manager, it may seem wasteful. At the current rate of expansion and without taking population growth into account, Liberia would need more than hydro plant rehabilitation to make electricity universally available.

 

According to a former LEC engineer, LEC pre-war power supply was about 69 megawatts maximum during the rainy season. The St. Paul River does not provide an endless strong water pressure throughout the year. During the dry season, the upstream storage dam level will steadily decline because of reduced water inflows and continued water extractions by water and sewer. Water and sewer depends exclusively on the St. Paul River.

 

Whatever the case is, there is a need to consider new technology that will serve the entire country power demand at a limited cost. The Mount Coffee Hydro Plant rehabilitation means pre-war circumstances “Power Ration.” The accumulation of appeal to rehabilitate the hydro plant will be considered unhealthy; a failure to sufficiently consider alternative course of action.

 

Windmill Power

 

Liberia should find alternative means to generate power due soar demand of fuel on a daily basis. Wind power has become the fastest growing sector of the renewable energy market. Both on-shore and off-shore, they give utilities and electric cooperatives an attractive energy solution with minimal environmental impact. Wind energy is plentiful, renewable, widely distributed, and reduces toxic atmospheric and greenhouse gas emissions if used to replace fossil-fuel-derived electricity. They do not emit any greenhouse gases and air pollutants. Wind power has very promising potential for Liberia, as it lies in the path of Atlantic depressions (low-pressure systems), which brings windy weather.

 

For example, Palm Springs and its surrounding areas in California, gets it electricity from a wind farm that generates 600-900 megawatts of power. As wind energy has become increasingly popular, wind projects have development around the globe. Wind power can be viewed in two perspectives offshore and onshore.  Wind in each area of the world has taken on unique characteristics, with offshore and large onshore development in Europe and primarily onshore development in the United States. Most of the offshore wind project development has occurred in Europe. In Germany, 60 – 65% of wind power is from offshore projects. A major factor that drives offshore wind project development is that on the shelf right outside the European coastline, the water is fairly shallow, which of course is the opposite of Liberia.

 

Overall, the following two perspectives of wind power fit key ingredients of Liberia geographical features, which mirror the defining traits of economic development. Wind power for distributed applications in Liberia will be essential; wind power is cost-effective and economically cost feasible for the economy. It may be able to beat the power prices from fuel and the dam. 

 

Advantages of wind power include:

 

1. It forestalls or replaces the need to build potentially more polluting conventional Power plants.

2. It produces virtually no pollution of air, water or soil.

3. It is renewable (non-delectable). There is enough potential wind energy in Liberia to power the entire country.

4. Because of its modular nature, it is easy to add capacity as needed.

5. Installing wind turbines are relatively quick. In a period of six months you can have the entire country power.

6. While the power is currently more expensive than that produced by natural gas-fired plants, the price of wind power is not affected by fuel price increases or supply disruptions.

 

Disadvantages of wind power include:

 

1. Noise and visual pollution caused by the large turbines.

2. Wind turbines reach over 100 meters into the air with rotating blades that are as big as large airplane wings.

3. Wind projects, especially ones in densely populated areas, must overcome the not-in-my-backyard mentality.

 

Though turbines have become larger with increased technology, they have also become quieter.  The costs are considerable, in particular, when the managing director of LEC is asking for $ 500 million to rehabilitate the Mount Coffee Hydro facilities. The wealth that could be made from the wind power could further encouraged feelings among investors that they faced a much more exalted destiny in their investment.  

 

Conclusion

 

According to the Electric Power Research Institute, the cost of producing wind energy has decreased nearly four fold since 1980. The average cost of energy from wind turbines in 1993 was about 7.5 cents per kilowatt/hour. With current wind research and development efforts, the Energy Commission estimates that newer technologies can reduce the cost of wind energy to 3.5 cents per kilowatt-hour.

 

A modern wind farm that is located in a good area can generate power for about 3 ½ cents per kilowatt-hour.  That compares very favorably with other forms of generation.  For reference, diesel generation costs between 11 and 15 cents per kWh and nuclear power costs between 8 and 16 cents per kWh. I hope to find that wind power will be a very good complement to our “Mount Coffee hydro dam. Wind-generated electricity has become more economical to produce in the past 10 years, dropping from as much as 30 cents per kilowatt-hour to 4 to 7 cents, making it more competitive with other energy sources. The cost to develop and build a wind energy facility is approximately $1.3 million to $1.7 million per megawatt, compared to a cost for gas energy generation.

 

Wind power will bring significant economic development to the country through new jobs, and provides opportunities while producing clean and efficient power to the country.

 

A Liberian economist, Mr. McDonald Gwanua at the central bank of Liberia puts in plain words that LEC could be viewed as “‘one of the important pillars of reenergizing the Liberian economy.”

 

Thanks,

 

Alexander Swen

Swenric93@hotmail.com       

Engineer

References: 

1. Resource: An Encyclopedia of Energy Utility Terms, Pacific Gas and Electric, 2nd edition, 1992, pp. 490-492

2. Small But Powerful - A Review Guide to Small Alternative Energy Projects for California¹s Local Decision makers, Association of Bay Area Governments, September 1987, pp.18-23.

3. "Power Firm Races Into the Wind," San Francisco Chronicle, August 29, 1994

 

Thanks,

AlexandAbout the author:

Alexander Swen is currently enrolled in the Master Program in Business Administration at University of Maryland.  He holds a dual Masters in Telecommunications System Management and Master in Information System Management from Capitol College, which he received in 2003.  In 2006, he received his BSC in Telecommunications Engineering at Capitol College.