The State of Energy in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Role of International Cooperation for Small Hydropower Development

Africa is one of the continents globally with a large energy potential to be developed, particularly small hydropower resources. Hitherto, it is the region with low access to energy. This has crippled the region economically, socially, and slowed down its development. This study provides an overview of the state of hydropower potential in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly small hydropower, and the needs for its development to overcome the energy deficit in the region. The study also discusses an alternative for small hydropower development using pumps as turbines. Through the study, it has been revealed that the huge available rivers in the region carry the potential for small hydropower development using a pump as a turbine or pump-turbine, which is cheaper with low installation costs. It is, therefore, required by various governments and energy sector leaders to put appropriate measures and policies in place for its development. The development of small hydropower tends to be one of the likely solutions to overcome high energy demand for rural communities within sub-Saharan Africa. The study concludes on the importance of designing small hydropower plants for sub-Saharan Africa to achieve the UN sustainable development goal by 2030. This study provides useful information to overcome the energy crisis in Africa, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, where access to energy is a bigger challenge.