Digital Innovation and Energy Security: Solar Power To Boost Digital Innovation

R eliable solar energy is set to strengthen activities at Orange Digital Centres (ODCs) across Cameroon, following a part­ nership with InstrumElec aimed at ensuring uninterrupted power supply for training, innovation and entre­ preneurship. The initiative is expec­ ted to reduce the centres’ reliance on generators while providing young people with a cleaner and more sus­ tainable energy solution. The part­ nership that was signed in Douala on October 8 will go a long way to ensure that young people using the centres can continue their training, innovation and business activities even during power outages. According to Catherine Mbengon, Director of Communications and CSR at Orange Cameroon, ODCs are spaces dedicated to training, inno­ vation and the development of pro­ jects by young people, students and start-up entrepreneurs. She said that reliable energy is essential for the centres to fulfil their mission. She further disclosed that the initiative follows a pilot solarisation project implemented at the Dschang Orange Digital Centre. Initial results indicate that the centre now produces 22,469 kilowatt-hours of solar energy an­ nually and has up to five hours of autonomy without the SOCADEL grid. According to the manager of the coordination pole and planification in the Communication department and RSE of Orange Cameroon, Bema Manga Koutta, the hybrid system prioritises solar energy, while alter­ native sources such as batteries, the electricity or a generator can progressively take over when solar production declines. She said the approach is expected to reduce de­ pendence on generators, while li­ miting fuel and maintenance costs and reducing emissions. For Alp...