The Necessity of Sustainable and Affordable Energy Solutions for Industrial Companies in Cameroon

Cameroon is home to about 20 million inhabitants living on 475 440 km² land area located in central Africa. Since the years 2000, the country has been facing an unprecedented energy crisis. The energy demand had been growing while investments were still below acceptable level to provide energy to all sectors. Economic activities are negatively affected by the energy shortage - characterized by the rationing and frequent power cuts which seriously undermine factories’ operation. This situation has led to slow economic growth and increased price of commodities. To cover part of their electricity needs, industrial companies have acquired diesel engines which not only pollute but add to production costs. The paper examines Cameroon’s energy situation with focus on the industrial sector. The study concludes that Cameroon has a huge renewable energy potential. Alternative solutions are not implemented nor investigated by industrial companies who prefer to pass on the additional production costs to consumers. Sustainable solutions such as solar energy integration and energy generation from solid waste are suggested. But prior to the implementation, energy laws and regulations should be mastered by professionals and industries sensitized on the benefits of renewable energies and energy efficiency practices.