Regardless of which country you live in, you may have heard many politicians and political organizations speak about how important energy independence is for the future. What is energy independence? A country or individual is referred to as being energy independent when they are able to produce enough of its own energy to meet their demands. For countries, energy independence is important because it can help decrease dependence on foreign sources of energy while increasing a country’s economic stability and growth. Countries that supply energy to other countries also have more political leverage on those countries that depend on them. Personal energy independence, also known as off-grid energy independence applies to individual homeowners or other electricity consumers. It occurs when a home is entirely self-sufficient in meeting all of its energy needs with no reliance on the electricity grid. Personal energy independence is commonly achieved with solar power.
How do you achieve energy independence?
Countries can achieve energy independence by using renewable power, improving the energy efficiency of buildings, vehicles, appliances and electronics, increasing energy storage capacity and modernizing the electric grid. The most practical way for most individuals and families to achieve energy independence is by switching to solar power for their home electricity needs.
What Are The Benefits & Disadvantages of Being Energy Independent?
Benefits
- Energy independence allows countries to decide how their resources are allocated
- When energy is consumed in its country of origin, all tax revenues from its use and sale stay within, and therefore benefit that country
- Investment in renewable energy sources reduced the Carbon Footprint.
Disadvantages
- High upfront investment costs
- Overexploitation of non-renewable resources
- When a country is solely dependent on its own resources, prices can rise as resources get used up.
Whether you are an individual looking to be independent of the fluctuating availability of the grid or are a developer who supplies renewable energy to various countries, Aptech Africa looks forward to working with you to ensure that your goals are met.
