Identification of stakeholders for sustainable renewable energy applications in Cameroon

This paper examined the initiation, funding, realisation and the current state of some renewable energy applications in the West Region of Cameroon. The findings from the study conducted showed that all of the renewable energy applications were initiated by indigenes living outside the beneficiary communities. The lack of fee-for-service tariffs was partly responsible for the failure of a wind electric installation for potable water pumping. Conflicts in a local management committee resulted in the inoperative state of a pico-hydro installation, while the lack of finances accounted for the failure of a PV system of rural Health Centre. Although, some successful results were noted in the activities of African Center for Renewable and Sustainable Technologies (ACREST) involving foreign technical expertise in small scale renewable energy applications, ACREST had difficulties with the implementation of 100kW micro hydro project. The stakeholders identified for successful renewable energy applications in Cameroon included local management committees, microfinance institutions, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Renewable Energy Enterprises (REEs) and universities. Local management committees must be in charge of the supervision, operation and maintenance of installed systems as well as revenue collection based on fee-for-service tariffs. Microfinance institutions should grant loans for the acquisition of financially and economically viable off-grid renewable energy systems to communities with monthly installments based on established monthly energy expenditures. NGOs are expected to provide technical assistance for the conception of community projects, the procurement of funding from cooperation partners and for the realisation of projects. REEs should have competence for sizing, installation and post-installation maintenance of renewable energy equipment. Universities must train the technicians and engineers that will be used by NGOs and REEs. This important role has been recognised by the government of Cameroon through the creation of the first Department of Renewable Energy at the University of Maroua in 2008.