Bill Gates: Solar is not the energy solution Africa needs

Bill Gates once again shunned solar power from his vision for energy access in Africa in his talk at the University of Pretoria in South Africa on Sunday, where he argued that whilst “cheap, clean energy” is what Africa needs, solar panels ( for example  GOAL ZERO NOMAD 7 PLUS) During the delivery of his Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture, the Microsoft founder and philanthropist identified that Africa, like the rest of the world, is in need of a “breakthrough energy miracle that provides cheap, clean energy for everyone.”

Africa is more dependent on such a phenomenon than other continents, because seven in ten Africans still lack power at present, while more than 500 million Africans still will not have electricity by 2040.

This is not the first time Gates has taken a less than welcoming stance to solar power. In February, during an interview with a news outlet, he echoed a similar thought. "When I say 'an energy miracle'," he said, "I mean that there will be some form of energy whose 24-hour cost really is competitive with hydrocarbons given, say, 20 years of learning curve.

"You invent it, then you look at how much its costs go down over the next 20 years, that it really beats hydrocarbons.

"You might say, well, aren’t people saying that about wind and solar today? Not really. Only in the super-narrow sense that the capital costs per output, when the wind is blowing, is slightly lower."

In fact, Gates has been advocating anti-solar sentiment for a while. In 2014, he blogged about energy poverty, arguing for outdated fossil fuel solutions to tackle the electricity deficit in underdeveloped economies, characterising energy poverty as a climate issue.
Solar is ‘not enough’

In the speech on Sunday, the software entrepreneur recommended increased investment in renewables, namely hydropower and geothermal. He went on to argue that recently launched solar power initiatives have not been enough:

“There has been a lot of experimentation with small-scale renewable energy, including micro solar,” he said. “This approach can provide individuals with some electricity for basic purposes, but it’s not going to be the solution for the continent as a whole.”

PV Tech contacted the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA), who vehemently disagreed with Gates’ sentiments.

“To downplay the role that solar photovoltaics (PV) can play as part of a unique African energy mix in the strive to alleviate Africa’s energy constraints would be irresponsible,” a spokesperson said, whilst citing data that should deem solar a ‘no brainer’ solution for Africa: “Africa has 7 of the 10 sunniest countries on earth and, according to IHS Technology, a US-based economic and energy market research company, Africa’s total solar power–generating capacity is projected to reach 3,380MW by 2017.”
Solar deployment in Africa

In fact, solar power is undergoing rapid deployment and implementation as many countries across the continent are battling energy crises and look to alternatives to expensive fossil fuels such as diesel and coal. A series of feed-in tariffs and solar tenders have offered a foray into a solution that not only is clean and inexpensive, but is easily accessible.

In South Africa in particular, the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) has successfully awarded 965MW of new solar capacity, which SAPVIA points out “is being delivered on time and on budget”.

“The rapidly escalating uptake of the technology in the rest of Africa can be clearly seen,” argued SAPVIA. “Expedited solar PV roll-out is being seen as supportive policies and regulations, such as the Get FIT Programme are developed and implemented. These policies and programmes, combined with the drop in the cost of PV technology (currently fully off-grid solar-PV technologiesdeployed at site can be deployed for as little as US$ 0.15/kWh and they do not require additional expensive transmission networks to move the electricity around), [we] see solar PV will make a significant impact on Africa and its energy challenges.

“One can expect – as has happened in South Africa – as the necessary supportive policies and regulations are scaled up, the rest of Africa will experience an increased uptake of solar PVtechnology. New renewable energy markets in Africa are already showing greater appeal to international and local investors – further spurring the uptake of solar PV in African markets.”

Guest Post: Used Pulsar Watches - A Buyer's Checklist

More and more people are starting to buy and sell within the used Pulsar watch market.

The selection is vast and the deals to be had can be great or well.....dire.

Although the majority of watches on the market are from reputable sources and are what they are supposed to be, there are a portion of the pieces on the market that are not 100% what they should be.

Here is a checklist any buyer should be aware of when considering a used Pulsar watch.

1) Is your dealer reputable?

Although many used Pulsar watch dealers are fully reputable and have a strong reputation for quality that they seek to protect, there are enough dealers out there that are without ethics and will not hesitate to sell goods that are not up to standard.

Usually a little bit of common sense and research will cast light on what you want to know about your choice of vintage watch dealer.

If your dealer is well known in the area and has a large flow of traffic in its used watch trade, it is a fair bet to say they are of a good reputation. Word soon spreads if someone is selling sub quality goods and their vintage trade will be sparse at best. Ask friends, family and co-workers about the dealer and do some research online to see if there are any major compliments or complaints.

Some people will choose to buy used Pulsar watches from the internet.

This is a mixed bag of tricks.

If you consider buying from a very large and well known online dealer you should generally be fine.

If on the other hand you buy from an online auction site from private sellers, well, that is of course a gamble, not always a winning one, but a very expensive one if you lose and end up with a bad watch purchase experience.

Use care and common sense with online purchases.

2) Know the standards and features of the watch you choose to purchase "used" with regards to if it was a "new" watch.

Most watches are available in a select number of models.

In other words, they may only be available in certain dial colors, metal combinations, and bracelets or straps etc.

There is a huge market in what is known as "after market" modifications such as diamond bezels, different color dials, straps and bracelets, even adding color coatings to the metal of the watches.

This may sound beneficial to have a modification to the watch such as a diamond bezel, but the truth is it actually lowers the value of the watch in almost all cases when modifications are made.

Why? You are probably asking.

Well, if a watch is only available in white, black, and silver dial choices from the manufacturer and a watch has a blue dial with diamond markers, it is not original and has a dial inside that has most likely been installed by a watchmaker who is not certified by the manufacturer and the dial will not be up to manufacturer standards in almost all cases.

Most watch manufacturers use very high quality materials and that is reflected in the price of the watches and they are also installed at the factory of origin. Basically quality assured.

Most after market modifications are not anywhere near of the same standard.

Also, most people who buy used Pulsar watches do their research beforehand, and dealers definitely know their trade, so if you choose to sell or trade in the watch at a later date, you will be offered a very low value for your after market watch or even outright refused despite what you may have paid for it in the first place.

3) Check the condition of the watch.

Sounds obvious?

Anyone can look at a watch and decide that it looks in good condition at face value, the dealers are going to ensure they do.

They will be buffed out of scratches and looking shiny, they will be in cases that have lights that make them beam and sparkle.

But there is an underbelly to the inspection process.

Metal bracelets can wear down in strength over time with use.

Check the bracelet by holding it by the case on its side so the bracelet is horizontal.

If it sags heavily, the watch has been worn a lot, if it is pretty firm it has been looked after or has been replaced.

This does not apply to all metal bracelets, but it certainly is a decent check to perform.

If the watch has a leather or animal skin strap such as a crocodile strap, then inspect the area around the pins where it fixed to the case to see if it has cracks or looks frayed. Repeat the check for the buckle area.

Check the sapphire crystal. If you have done your watch research correctly beforehand, you will know if the watch is meant to have a raised crystal, or domed crystal, or thick crystal, or even acrylic crystal. If the watch does not have what it is supposed to have you may have a watch with a new crystal in it.

Sounds good?

Not really, because if the watch has had to have a new crystal then either the old one had been broken or was so scratched that it had to be replaced. This is a red flag that the previous owner had abused the watch, this could be a hint at many other underlying problems or fixes that may have occurred.

4) Inspect the warranty offered by the dealer.

Does the dealer offer a warranty?

Usually they are 1 year, but some are two years.

Ask what the warranty covers.

Is it a standard warranty that covers any internal faults or is it an advanced warranty that covers the entire watch inside and out?

Learn the terms of the warranty.

5) Enquire where the dealer usually sources the watches from.

This is not a way to jump past the dealer to find a wholesaler, they are not going to tell you in detail who they get the watches from. They will however disclose if the watch came from a broker or was a trade in from a customer. Watches from brokers are usually best because the broker will examine and clean up the watch before they sell it to your dealer and the dealer will also perform their own checks and clean ups after buying from the broker. Customer trade ins are not in any way bad because the dealer will perform all work and checks before putting the used Pulsar watch up for sale. But the broker way is slightly better with regards to checks being made.

This 5 step checklist should help you towards having a successful used Pulsar watch transaction, although not conclusive it is definitely the minimum checks any prospective buyer should perform.

Conor McGregor Shares Lessons from His Success

Business is pitiless. No matter the length of time you’ve been in the game, everything you’ve constructed can go down in a split second in the event that you don’t play your cards right.
We can practically compare business to a string UFC fights where you’re always fighting competitions, trends, exchange rates, standards. You’re constantly in a fight to not only survive, but to also win the large belt — the well earned symbol of your time and effort.

Seeing that at the present time the whole world is in love with Conor McGregor — the first combatant to ever hold winner titles in two weight division concurrently, we believed we could learn a thing or two from this excessive winner.

At just 28 years, McGregor has comprehended the significance of perseverance, day-to-day training and will power. How can that translate into the planet of the business? In the event that you don’t believe in what you do well enough to keep ‘fighting’ more and better everyday, than there’s no actual point to aim high. In the event that you don’t see yourself as an award winning firm, recognised for all your flawlessly delivered services, then you definitely need to reconsider your choices.

Habits To Succeed in Business

In the event you are trying to find the technical company ideas that could get you the leg up within your specific market: look away. I am aware of, that’s a unpleasant disclaimer to share at the start of the place, but entrepreneurship is about a lot more than simply running a startup. Serial entrepreneurship–and most successful entrepreneurs are successful over and over again (and not terrified to neglect; more on that later)–comes from constantly appearing to do things differently from the conventional order, not only in business but in regular life. Whether that's in how that they take themselves, the way that they socialize or how that they believe, entrepreneurship is a lifestyle.

At the conclusion of the day, an entrepreneur is a creator as well as a problem solver. Entrepreneurs might share certain character characteristics, yet to become a successful company innovator you should embrace the correct customs. Here are 6 customs that can allow you to become a successful entrepreneur.

What You Need to Know About Business Law

Do you concur there aren’t stupid questions?

And what about awkward ones?

A small business customer recently said that she was fed up with company associates looking back on her because she asked questions about what every single legal term meant. “I can’t phone you each time I don’t realize something….I feel like I require a comprehensive company law dictionary most of the time!”

No, you don’t want a dictionary.

(but in case you'd like to eventually discuss legal, here you go)

Now, mind me that some company law questions are fairly in place:

To your attorney, you can ask anything you feel like, no play there. She'll be pleased to reply all type of questions and allow you to feel comfortable which has any legal conclusions you’re taking collectively.

In contracts, when clauses are obscure it’s critical that you simply ask for clarification.

But inquiring what’s a manager’s guarantee when you’re the manager of an organization is very shameful.

And it can cost you the esteem of your co-workers and sometime may be the first step you require to new employment. As a company owner, awkward company law questions might make your counterpart believe they are able to mislead you into obligations you didn’t need to make or be a deal breaker.