rely greatly upon the availability of energy resources. In a recent study on solar energy utilization in Africa by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), it was concluded that national development is always accompanied by a gradual increase in power consumption, generally proportional to Gross National Product (GNP). In this respect, particular importance must be given to electric power, an essential element for economic development. At the 1975 Second General Conference of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), a target share of 25% was established for the developing countries in world manufacturing value added (MVA), to be achieved by the year 2000. That share, approximately three times their share in 1975, will be met only if such nations are able to increase capital, manpower and other industrial inputs. Primary among these inputs is energy. An additional and important consideration in the developing countries' search for energy is its cost. Having made the commitment to pursue a policy of national development, the requisite energy costs, however high, must be met. A comprehensive and well-planned program, however, consists of more than just industrial development. The developing countries also suffer in various degrees from a scarcity of skilled labor, lack of usable information, shortage of communications facilities and other inputs vital for economic and social development. Should the costs of energy become too great, plans for national development in the various sectors could be severely affected, necessitating major changes and cutbacks in the energy plans originally conceived. Thus, a scarcity of energy resources will directly impede national development, but energy acquired at too high a price will have an equally devastating effect upon a nation's plan for economic and social progress. In view of these underlying energy considerations, the developing countries are now carefully assessing their potential for indigenous energy production. The WAES study projects that both OPEC and non-OPEC countries have the potential to increase their energy supplies significantly by the year 2000. This projection is provided in Table 3. Nevertheless, wide variations in the existing resources, economics and policies of the developing countries will lead to inequitable energy production rates and many nations will inevitably remain energy dependent. In view of the uneven potential of the developing countries to generate substantial domestic energy sources as well as the decline of existing fossil fuel reserves, researchers and scientists from such countries have been turning to new and renewable sources of energy such as wind, sun, geothermal heat and biogas. Such energy sources, while perhaps not presently sufficient to supply the total energy needs of a developing economy could, however, serve as important components of a national energy program. The possibility, however, of developing one major energy source to supply all demand is an attractive alternative. In this context, the costs and benefits of a satellite solar power system should certainly be given consideration. A system of such dimensions offers the potential for fulfilling substantial energy needs and, despite its short-term drawbacks, the advantages for the longer term could prove considerable. The advantages of solar power, whether collected in space or on Earth, are several. First among these is its flexibility in application on Earth. Solar energy can be used for heating, for producing synthetic liquid or gaseous fuel, for providing electricity and for the purification and distillation of water. Other uses, such as water heating, irrigation, timber and crop drying and crop protection, are also being tested in various countries. Taken individually, such diverse uses as solar cookers and water pumps may
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