Interview with Senegal's Minister of Biofuels and Renewable Energy

Extremely high oil and energy prices were one of the topics of Senegal's recent presidential elections. Whereas industrialised countries can cope with oil at $90 per barrel, for poor countries the situation is truly catastrophic. Some cash-strapped, oil importing governments are already forced to spend twice to thrice as much on importing energy than on health care. Senegal, which has no oil, coal or gas resources, can not cope with this scenario and has therefor vowed to invest in alternatives instead, especially bioenergy. It is hoped the sector will revive agriculture in the country, boost its energy security, and open poverty alleviation opportunities for its vast rural population.

In the following interview [*French], Christian Sina Diatta, professor of physics and Senegal's first Minister for Biofuels and Renewable Energy explains the reasons behind his country's transition towards alternative energy.

Senegal has made investments in renewables and biofuels a political priority. What's the current state of the sector?

In fact, for Senegal it is not a matter of giving priority to agriculture, fisheries or energy. The energy problem is a global one and affects all activities. All of use are confronted with the geopolitics of energy. High prices for oil, gas and coal are a worry everywhere. For this reason the transition towards alternative energy can be seen across the globe, in the United States, in the countries of the South, in tropical countries, Europe, Asia. On all continents we observe a rush towards alternatives with the sole aim to fight high prices and energy insecurity. Nowadays, there's even an international form of solidarity which authorises the installation of nuclear capacity for civilian use, to overcome some of these problems.

The option for us is to rely on our biomass resources, which allow man to produce energy with the assistance of nature. We are also looking at utilizing marine resources and solar energy, as well as other forms. Today, we no longer talk, we build: large projects have come online in many countries.

Senegal has no petroleum and coal resources whatsoever, and only a tiny bit of natural gas. This is why we have taken up reseach into renewables in a serious way. For us it is a matter of surviving high energy prices without reducing economic growth.

To achieve this, we have given a new direction to national energy, infrastructure and education policies. These three sectors must be integrated to ensure economic growth, so that our country's mothers can finally live well.

But concretely, what has the government done so far when it comes to renewables?

Our energy policy has been developed by the president of the Republic [Abdoulaye Wade, who was recently reelected] and by a dedicated committee. This has resulted in the creation of a Ministry of Biofuels and Renewable Energies. The establishment of such a dedicated ministry is unique in Africa, and perhaps in the world:
energy :: sustainability :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: renewables :: fossil fuels :: nuclear :: energy security :: Senegal ::

Where are we? At the stage of structuring the new ministry. But important programmes are being implemented in not only in renewables but also in nuclear energy. Once the budget is voted, some of these projects will come online relatively quickly. One of those is biofuels. An army of investors has been knocking on our doors for this. In the biomass sector, we are working on a very important project dealing with organic waste treatment. The investments mainly come from foreign entrepreneurs and groups, so we are not dependent on state funds to implement them.

When will we see the first results of your actions?

No doubt in the weeks after the vote on the budget, because then a project for marine energy will be implemented. For biofuel projects, like those based on the cultivation of sunflower, you will have to wake a few months to see the first harvest after which we will produce the first batch of fuels.

But foreign enterprises have vowed to install biofuel plants in Senegal with the aim to export the fuels. The important thing is that we will have factories in our country [and not merely be exporters of raw materials].

Since a few years we have obtained serious success in the production of sugarcane in the North of Senegal, which is important too. We have already tested the conversion of sugarcane into ethanol - we must now scale up these efforts. Some want to establish an irrigated agricultural zone ranging from 60,000 to 600,000 hectares for the production of ethanol in our country.

We are looking at ways to import efficient [flex-fuel] vehicles. It's no news that ethanol has now become cheaper than gasoline. This will allow us to make significant progress on the level of the economy.

Ever since the idea of a bringing nuclear energy to Senegal was launched, people have asked critical questions. Some have said you are dreaming. Is it a dream?

First of all, it's an international reality. It is one for Senegal too, because we are more serious than anyone thinks. But I prefer not to delve into this too much at this time. People will see the results over the coming years.

But at a time when Senegal can't even manage its fossil fuels portfolio, why do you think we can manage nuclear, which is even more costly and complex?

In Senegal, we do not shy away from controversy. When we look at a particular energy technology, we calculate the costs per kWh. This calculus shows nuclear is less costly than other alternatives, with the exception of tidal power. In other words, if Senegal were to pool its resources and invest them in nuclear, we would be well off, because other factors make alternatives less secure options.

To say we can not manage nuclear is a false debate. When the investors think it can be done, they will bring in the know how and sell electricity to the Senelec [state-owned electricity company] and to other utilities that will enter the country to make money.

Several countries have expressed interest to build nuclear power plants in Senegal, and our electricity bill would not suffer because will will not invest a dime ourselves.

Our role is of a supportive nature: we must offer the infrastructures and the people to manage the sector.

Does Senegal have the human and financial resources needed to support a nuclear program, or would it have to rely on foreign funds?

The installation of a nuclear power plant depends on a chronogram which involves all the aspects you evoke here. We do not assume that we already have the necessary resources; these resources will be developed. This means, educating experts. But even then, this comes at a social and political cost, because the interests of those who want to work in the plant and those who are going to run it are not the same. To make a nuclear power plant working you need at least 200 qualified people.

In 1992 we created a third cycle [masters program] in 'Nuclear physics' and by the end of this month, we will have a doctoral program in the subject. We already have one PhD student, who is working for his degree in France. Another Senegalese citizen has been educated at the Institute of Mathematics and Physics of Porto-Novo (Benin). In short, we have more highly educated persons in our country than many think. We have nuclear energy engineers active in important international laboratories - Senegalese citizens. So we do not start from scratch.

Besides these resources, we have doctors in nuclear medicine and biologists who utilize nuclear sciences for their research. We have a long history of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which makes we know the sector from within.

Hydropower, solar and wind energy - so many resources that remain untapped. When will we begin to use them?

We have had several programs with these technologies. We have trialed wind power, for example. But the average wind speeds in Senegal are relatively low, around 3 meters per second. This means we do not really have any wind resources that make large scale power generation feasible. Those who say we have offshore and near-shore wind resources, are forgetting that these winds are of a turbulent type and that they interact with the waves. The only region with potential is the lagoon area, where the winds have a consistent direction.

When it comes to solar power, we are in the process of experimenting with small and medium-scale technologies for use at the household level; we are looking into large scale production too.

To come back to wind turbines, there is one technology that could be more promising and that is submerged turbines that tap the energy from the movement of the tides. We are looking at a zone measuring 6 by 21 kilometers - there where the Rufisque river meets the ocean - to place such turbines at a depth of 20 meters. Provided this does not obstruct sea and river traffic, we could be looking at the energy equivalent of 3 small nuclear power plants. We are looking at this type of innovative programs, which are currently being developed in countries of the Nort, notably Norway, France, and the UK.

Which zones are targetted for the cultivation of jatropha [known locally as tabanani]?

No zone has been excluded. The entire country is suitable for jatropha, which is a hardy, robust crop. Foreign companies interested in the crop have come to Senegal with a hydrological map in their hands, and they show that we can even utilize drip irrigation. We believe there are opportunities in intercropping food crops with jatropha.

So in principle we haven't excluded any zone, except for regions with a relatively dense forest. Because it would be problematic if investors were to deforest land in order to plant jatropha merely with profits in mind.

Over the coming months, we will be making decisions within the framework of our feasibility studies. These will include the decision to designate the most promising zones measuring between 40,000 to 100,000 hectares as 'Zones d'Amenagement Concertées' (ZAC), which means the state will be the regulator and decide, together with the companies, how the land will be exploited and how the revenues and profits will have to be distributed to ensure that they benefit the Senegale people.

Interview conducted by D. Mane and E. Kaly, translated and abriged by Jonas Van Den Berg and Laurens Rademakers, cc, 2007.

References:
Le Soleil (Dakar): Christian Sina Diatta, ministre des Biocarburants ET des Energies renouvelables : "Ceux qui pensent que le nucléaire est un rêve se trompent" - October 15, 2007.

Biopact: Senegal in possible $2 billion biofuel & oil refinery deal with Energy Allied International - September 25, 2007

Biopact: Biofuels and the presidential elections in Senegal - February 25, 2007

Biopact: Senegal in the spotlight: cooperation with Brazil, EU on bioenergy and migration - October 27, 2006

Biopact: Senegal's president explains the urgency of biofuels development in the South - November 02, 2006