This Island Will Be On 100 Renewable Energy Sooner Than You Think

If you travel 600km off the coast of Senegal you’ll find the volcanic archipelago of Cape Verde, a nation that has boldly pledged to obtain 100% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2025. But how are they going to do it?

Currently, for most of the energy requirements in Cape Verde, where nine out of 10 of its islands are inhabited, one-third of people still rely on charcoal and firewood. Energy consumption per person is higher than the sub-Saharan average and energy costs exceed those of the average person in the USA. Most of the energy in Cape Verde is provided by generators fuelled by imported petroleum products, making for an altogether inefficient and environmentally damaging system, made worse by the fact that the energy consumption is predicted to double in the coming years.

Volcanic Vineyard, Fogo Crater, Fogo Island, Cape Verde

All that is changing though and the country is acting swiftly to address these issues with one-quarter of its energy already being provided by renewable sources. Cape Verde is able to access diverse sources to meet its 100% goal, such as wind energy, solar, geothermal, and marine energy, all of which are an advantage for any nation striving to achieve renewable energy success.

An emerging technology which has proved beneficial in equatorial countries and called ocean thermal energy conversion could also provide successful for Cape Verde. This uses the temperature difference between warm surface water and colder deep water to produce electricity. Geothermal energy, which uses heat from the earth, is another perfect system in a volcanic archipelago and both systems used together could provide enough power to meet the minimum demand of daily energy, and it also has the benefit of functioning constantly.

Solar- and wind-based grids are already being utilised and the country is seeing the benefits of local electricity grids known as microgrids, rather than just relying on one central grid. These efficient systems connect to the main grid, but can also be disconnected and operate independently when needed, such as if a natural disaster strikes the main grid, making for greater flexibility of usage and reliability in supplying energy. Pay-as-you-go solar energy systems are also on the rise, with households spreading the cost out over time using mobile banking.

With all of these systems being brought into play together and combined with integrating cutting edge technologies, Cape Verde’s pledge of achieving 100% renewable energy in under a decade looks likely to become a reality. It will be an example not only to the rest of Africa, but to much of the rest of the world, too.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.