A Switzerland-based Malawian professor of engineering Ndaona Chokani says there is need for a clear and proper scientific quantification of the country’s potential for wind energy.
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The comments by Chokani, whose current research activities focus on wind energy at Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich, come against the background of previous research that has shown huge potential for wind energy in Malawi.
“The starting point in Malawi… it will be useful for us to be able to have a clear determination of what our actual resource in Malawi is. This means not only doing calculations but actually making measurements in science where we know we might have wind potential for this quantified information, then make a determination as to what infrastructure requirements can be there,†Chokani told journalists on Friday, after giving a talk on wind energy to the Malawi Institution of Engineers (MIE) members in Blantyre.
He said the advantage of wind energy over other sources is that it is free.
“Wind power generation does not require any use of water and most importantly, it does not generate any carbon dioxide (CO2) for atmospheric pollution,†he said, adding that his coming to Malawi was to learn more about the energy needs for the country.
Chokani, who teaches at one of the regularly ranked top universities in the world, said in Europe, wind is now recognised as the accepted way to generate power.
He said wind energy is the second in terms of new installations and that globally, it’s technology is increasing by about 29 percent particularly in Europe, North America and China.
On his part, MIE president Dr Matthews Mtumbuka said they invited Chokani to share with Malawians on wind energy since the country is grappling with power shortages.
“We think wind energy will be the solution to the country. We are all tired of blackouts. We know what the problem is at Escom,†he said.
