DRC has enough hydro to make 100% renewable Africa possible

[eclipse]

Hi all,
it seems to be that a 100% renewable Africa is possible. Just the DRC could build enough hydro to RUN (not back up) the whole of the Southern African continent. Combined with the huge potential of Solar thermal in the Sahara, and I don't see any technical reason why an African super-grid cannot go 100% renewable.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_in_the_Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo

The other great side-effect is that an African super-grid would require a move towards the AU becoming a Federation, which appears crucial for African development and security. A strong Federal defence force could deploy better trained, more objective troops to hot spots. This might all be a way off, but one would help propel the other.

The other data I have to consider is how many countries are nearly at 100% renewable electricity already.

New Zealand 2012 31.1 22,638 2,053 575 5,844 72.5 [39]
Uganda 2008 1,631 74.95
Ghana 2008 6,133 75.09
Cameroon 2008 4,190 77.29
Central African Republic 2008 0.160 130 81.25
Republic of the Congo 2008 0.452 371 82.08
Georgia 2008 7,090 85.50
Colombia 2008 43,085 51 561 85.66
Malawi 2008 1,451 86.58
Ethiopia 2008 3,263 13 88.18
Brazil 2009 409.806 387,078 1,374 21,354 88.88 [16]
Laos 2008 3,680 92.46
Costa Rica 2008 7,313 188 78 1,075 93.15
Kyrgyzstan 2010 11,254 93.30 [33]
Belize 2008 204 94.88
Angola 2008 3,804 96.45
Norway 2011 123.6 122,100 1,143 265 7 96.6 [40]
Tajikistan 2009 15.642 15,642 98.08 [47]
Burundi 2008 206 99.04
Democratic Republic of the Congo 2008 7,409 99.42
Lesotho 2009 0.5198 519.8 99.5 [34]
Zambia 2011 11.300 11,300 99.66 [52]
Nepal 2008 3,042 99.67
Mozambique 2008 14,963 99.92
Bhutan 2008 7,063 99.97
Albania 2010 7.702 7,702 100.00 [12]
Iceland 2009 16.832 12,279 4,553 100.00 [29]
Paraguay 2010 54.065 54,065 100.00 [41]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_electricity_production_from_renewable_sources

[peterc]

eclipse : looking down that list for a larger country well on the way to industrialisation we come across Brazil, which seems impressive.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy_in_Brazil
informs us "Hydroelectric power plants produce over 90% of the electrical energy consumed in Brazil."
Many of the others on the list are smaller countries blessed with hydro- and geological power (e.g. Iceland, New Zealand)..
Just for some perspective.
There may be some potential for solar and hydro in Africa, but it's for the time being bedevilled by political problems.
Ironically, the enormous civil engineering for the hydro power in South America provokes the ire of the greenies.
Oh to be blessed by nature with all you need!

[eclipse]

Hi PeterC,
yes, I tweaked to that fact this morning and posted this to an anti-nuke on Barry's "The Conversation" article.

Your 100% renewable nations wiki mostly includes very high biomass or very high hydro-electricity penetrations. Biomass and hydro resources are fantastic for those nations that have high resources in this area: but they are not universal. The most universal renewable energy sources — the ones that are most abundant on every continent on earth — are of course wind and solar. That's why I specifically asked you to show me a nation, or even a province, that is mostly wind and solar.

I'm still waiting.

theconversation.com/its-time-for-environmentalists-to-give-nuclear-a-fair-go-35488#comment_574976