Senegalese scientist sees wind, solar as solution to energy crisis - As Senegal tries to tackle the energy crisis that has hit the West African state in recent times, Prof. Arona Ndoffene Diouf, a US-based Senegalese scientist and politician, says the solution is in the exploitation of solar and wind energy. Prof. Diouf, a founding member of the Association of Concerned Senegalese, the movement that has projected him to run as an independent candidate in Senegal’s 2012 presidential election, made the remarks in an exclusive interview with PANA in Dakar.

Senegal had been rocked by riots in several cities and towns as people protested against the energy crisis.

He said: “We have over 3,000 hours of sunlight which could be turned into solar energy and even if we reach the goal of 15 per cent we can export.

'We have resources that could provide 50 years of energy need of Senegal. The wind energy can also be exploited. We will create wind parks along the Atlantic Ocean as a way out of the current energy crisis.  These are solutions I will immediately apply to revitalise our economy.'

Prof. Diouf, who is a Programme Director at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in America, said he was initially not interested in active politics.

But in 2004 he was approached by his compatriots to lead them and seeing Senegal falling into “a hole” he agreed to enter active politics.

Quizzed on what difference he would make should he become president of Senegal, Diouf said he would ensure that the country’s constitution had a definite term for the president to be determined through a referendum.

Pana 19/08/2011