Energy in the strategy to Sahel Development : Situation - Perspectives - Recommendations

Burkina Faso does not have fossil energy source. The problem of energy thus arises with acuity for the rural and urban populations. The energy sources used are primarily the hydrocarbons, electrical energy, the woody fuels as new and renewable energies which are the biomass, the solar energy and the wind energy. The hydrocarbons are 100% imported, which makes the country very depend on over sea with respect to its conventional energy supply. These imports represent, for the years 1987 to 1992, 12 to 29% of the export earnings of the country. In addition to this dependence, there is a great weakness of the electrical communication and the too high cost of energy which led to the development of a strategic planning of the scientific research centered on the energy sector. In this field, research made it possible to undertake a study of the Burkina Faso energy system, to evaluate and exploit solar energy and wind mill, to develop the use of new methods allowing the energy saving in the households and the safeguard of the environment. In addition research shows that an economy is possible in the administrative buildings. Work is undertaken on air-conditioning by evaporation, the technology of the cold and the valorization of nonfood plant oils. There is also a work done on the de-pollution of industrial waste water, the energy valorization of the biomass as well as the improvement of the technology of the dolo, local beer containing sorghum. All these scientific research activities aim at the definition of a development policy on the energetic sector which takes into account the reduction of the cost of energy, the access of the populations to this resource, the reduction in the invoice of oil products imports as well as the promotion of environmental protection, the industrial development and that of the new methods of local technology as regards energy in Burkina Faso