Let us all sing a song about growing opportunities in Africa. There are multiple possibles in the field of forest industry development and energy production.
Cameroon has a lot of opportunities in renewable energies being Africa's greatest hydroelectric potential after the Democratic Republic of Congo and having conditions favoring solar and wind energies.
Cameroon has an abudant potential in solar energy especially in its northern part. According to resent studies, the wind potential of Cameroon is significant and economically exploitablein the western regions of Cameroon.
At the moment, several investors are already in Cameroon to harness to the solar energy potential. The Chinese company Huawey is planting public solar lights from Yaounde to Soa, a university town on the outskirts of the capital.
The wood industry contributes up to 8 per cent to the Cameroonian gross national product (GNP) and generates close to 165 000 direct jobs.
However, more than half of Cameroon's wood is illegally exported.
Legal action has been taken to reduce illegal timber exploitation. Other things are on the move as well:
- giant and mini hydropower projects
- mini hydro power plants in 25 localities
- rural electrification projects
- small communities will be electrified
- modern electricity services such as lighting, audiovisual and guality health health care
Within the projects, there is also training for locals to maintain the projects and the creation of small businesses related to the hydroelectric energy technology.
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