The lack of electricity is one of the most critical challenges facing our continent, Africa.

In 2019, the continent had more than 580 million people without electricity access out of an estimated 1.4 billion people that call Africa home.

Energy poverty impacts people's daily lives, as without energy - infrastructure, schools, hospitals, and other essential services cannot be developed. Imagine a hospital losing power in the middle of a pandemic? It could cost lives.

But a few African countries are already looking at a quick but temporary solution to this problem, but it's not cheap or clean energy.

Powerships

Powerships are exactly what their name describes them as: floating electricity supplied by ships. These powerships travel all over the world and have the advantage of providing almost immediate electricity, so they are an excellent option to meet the supply gap in the short term compared to the years it takes to design, award, and commission other types of power generation projects.

Also, as the power ships generate energy from LNG (liquid natural gas), they are a viable option for most coastal countries, especially countries with access to such a resource. Finally, power ships do not require any land or significant development. A connection to the LNG, either from a ship or onshore, is sufficient to get the power ships running.

A floating plant can be operational within 100 days - compared to the years it takes to build a conventional coal-fired station.

African Countries

Some African countries such as Cameroon and Senegal, are currently analyzing this option, with South Africa at an advanced stage issuing out licenses, and Ghana already hosting a powership in the country. This could also be a short-term solution to meet most coastal African countries' energy supply, especially to gas producing countries as Nigeria, Mozambique, and Equatorial Guinea.

While doing so, governments should not lose sight that this is only a short-term solution. African countries should not stop developing long-term energy projects or abandon their goals of reducing greenhouse emissions by developing large-scale renewable energy projects.

South Africa

The South African government is currently issuing licenses to global powership companies to plug the 4000MW shortfall in electricity supply in the country.

The country is in the midst of an unprecedented electricity crisis, as "load shedding" on its network has become a regular occurrence. Even though load shedding stops country-wide blackouts, it still comes with a hefty cost to economic growth.

While the country's total domestic electricity generation capacity is 58,095 MW from all sources, there is still an estimated 4,000MW shortfall in the amount the power utility will supply in the next five years.

Of the offers received from powerships more than half of the capacity from the preferred bidders will be generated in 2022 by three power ships that will be in Coega (450MW), Richards Bay (450MW) and Saldanha (320MW), under 20-year contracts.

damn!!! where is 9ja own

aaa14bd1083:
damn!!!
where is 9ja own

Dem dey build am for Aba

Ghana

Ghana already has a powership docked along its coastline.

The Turkish-owned Karpowership’s 470-MW floating power plant has been deployed at two locations and demonstrated how impactful the delivery model can be for a power-hungry country’s economy and society.

Between 2017 and 2019, the powership supplied 450 MW to Tema, burning heavy fuel oil. In late 2019, it was relocated to Sekondi Naval Base, about 300 kilometers away on the southern coast, where it continues producing power using indigenously produced natural gas.

Please Nigeria should not be mentioned here. We are still battling Buhari's stone age operations.

When It Come To Tech And Innovation, South Africa Is Always Ahead Of Nigeria

Naija still dey depend on dams.

Cameroon

On 25 January 2021, a delegation from Turkish company Karpowership was granted an audience by Cameroonian Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute. According to credible sources, the delegation was there to present the company’s plan to produce 300MW of energy using a boat moored at the port of Douala.

According to the Turkish company, discussions for this project began a year ago with the Ministry of Water and Energy and the Port Authority of Douala (PAD). The energy that Karpowership intends to produce on its ship at the port of Douala will be supplied to companies in the port area but also injected into the national electricity grid. For that purpose, Karpowership will have to sign a sales contract with Eneo, concessionaire of the country's electric utility.

donbachi:
Naija still dey depend on dams.

That's good as a long term solution. Powerships are great as a temporary solution while building permanent infrastructure such as hydropower.

Nice alternative, I like this idea

ChiefSosa:
Fashola is busy doing detective work at Lekki...

according to him, electricity is'nt rocket science, bt with him now it hs bcome microwave science

ChiefSosa:
Fashola is busy doing detective work at Lekki...

according to him, electricity is'nt rocket science, bt with him now it hs bcome bullet science

mytime24:
according to him, electricity is'nt rocket science, bt with him now it hs bcome bullet science

Lol, don't mind him, he belongs to the streets

aaa14bd1083:
damn!!!
where is 9ja own

I tried searching for Nigeria references to powerships but there's nothing online.

TMKsouth:


I tried searching for Nigeria references to powerships but there's nothing online.

no P

They should just dock one in Apapa to bring industrial activities back in that area

ChiefSosa:

I think The Gambia is using it for many years now, and they enjoy 24hrs of electricity

My next life i will come from New Zealand i love that county

Try such here and pirates will torch it to get a attention

So simple and our wicked government no fit generate enough electricity.

This govt of terrorist gathering is rather bent on sinking this country

If them tell you how much has been spent on electricity in this country since 1998, it will be enough to power the entire Pluto

Yet we still get epileptic power supply with crazy bills

We are still battling with banditry, boko haram , nepotism and the likes.its so unfortunate.

photoshop stuff This is a high risk stuff which can be harmful imagine if the Prate dude attack that stuff what will happen? the will sink it after attach,a waste of investment to me, not wise to apply so and its maintenance is crazy.

rubbish some African countries can not think mostly does in South..

heniford2:
photoshop stuff This is a high risk stuff which can be harmful imagine if the Prate dude attack that stuff what will happen? the will sink it after attach,a waste of investment to me, not wise to apply so and its maintenance is crazy.

rubbish some African countries can not think mostly does in South..

It's been in Ghana for 4 years now with no incidents. Maybe you should speak for Nigeria and its challenges and leave other countries alone. SA for example doesn't have terrorism issues so I don't know what you're on about saying they can't think.

TMKsouth:


It's been in Ghana for 4 years now with no incidents. Maybe you should speak for Nigeria and its challenges and leave other countries alone. SA for example doesn't have terrorism issues so I don't know what you're on about saying they can't think.

oh in Ghana you mean can SA think normal without using its dick or virginia you should leave Nigeria alone "bola", stop showing off here haba!! did we tell you that we need that stuff in Nigeria

heniford2:
oh in Ghana you mean can SA think normal without using its dick or virginia you should leave Nigeria alone "bola", stop showing off here haba!! did we tell you that we need that stuff in Nigeria

Okay noted, Nigeria doesn't need electricity.