ALER's Executive Director in an interview with Público

Isabel Cancela de Abreu, ALER’s Executive Director, gave an interview to Público newspaper in which she explained that African countries “are energy islands, they do not have the interconnections that exist in Europe and, deep down, they are used to fending for themselves”, clarifying that the answer to the problems of energy inefficiency must go through solutions for the integration of renewable energies.

“Installing a solar panel with two or three outlets is very, very quick and allows a family to have immediate access to electricity. The impacts on the life of a family, and women in particular, are huge”, she said.

The interview with Público, which can be read here, addresses topics such as the energy transition as a priority in African countries and within the current European context, the challenges in electrification, the potential and solutions that can easily be put into practice.

Whether it is "to cook without having to get wood for the fire, to pump water; for entertainment, so that children can study at night or adults take literacy courses. And for all kinds of services. How do they store vaccines without electricity in health centers?". To answer these questions, Isabel Cancela de Abreu justifies the creation of ALER by clarifying that "the social impacts have always captivated me and, realizing that there was no national association in these countries, I thought that a difference could be made".

"However, we have already supported the creation of renewable energy associations in Angola and Mozambique and we are in this process in São Tomé", she explained as one of ALER's added values.

Access the interview here.