Small Durable Solar Panels Provide Energy In Developing Countries

nytimes.com:

For decades, governments and non-governmental organizations have been trying to bring electricity to the world's poorest and most isolated regions through million-dollar donations and large-scale projects.

A small start-up company, headquartered in the Republic of Mauritius off the southeastern coast of Africa, is pursuing what it considers a different tack: a market-based approach, employing local villagers, selling rudimentary solar panels and focusing on small-scale, personal electricity use.

Read the whole story: nytimes.com

Comments

[babyboomerorig]

My husband is a solar energy enthusiast. So much so, in fact, that he has fixed up our 40 year-old truck camper top to run the lights and fans inside the camper. He's disabled and only able to do these things periodically, but has really gone out of his way to make it happen. We also have 2 very small electric scooters that are now run by solar power. He has the batteries hooked up with lights, radios and who knows what just to see how much he can do wtih the small solar panels he finds at the local thrift stores.

He's trying to figure out how to make his own, too. This is the new winter project for him. He's only able to work on something a few hours a week, so by the spring thaw, we should have something viable.

[Lee Benhayon]

I too have been working with small solar panels to power everything from my cell phone and laptop to providing electricity in my shed. It is just as important for us to work on the little projects as it is for government to tackle the larger energy projects. On another note I found a solar freezer on sunelec.com has anyone used this type of product?

[Thabit]

For that matter we could be using these in the developed world to reduce our emissions and to bring the price down across the board which would be win win win

[Joethepauper]

There is a lot we could be doing. We could do micro-wind too, and have tiny wind turbines that wouldn't obstruct the view in people's "backyards" (the magnificent view of telephone poles and electrical lines, cell phone antennas, and radio towers that nobody complained about being in their "backyard" before). If Mauritus is beating us to the technology, we should solarize Death Valley and turn it into Sunshine Valley! Death Valley is below sea level, so that means hydroelectric, too. That water could be desalinized and routed to farmer's crops. As far as I know, not much lives in Death Valley, and whatever lizards that happen to live there would probably appreciate the shade and fresh water, anyway. It's the hottest place on earth! I'm guessing that's because the sun heats it up, right? So WTF? That's something that should have already been done decades ago. We also have our own supervolcano (Yellowstone) that is about 40,000 years overdue for an eruption. Tap it and let some pressure be used for energy. If we tap it before it blows, we could possibly avoid extinction and have an unlimited supply of clean, renewable energy. 12/21/12 is coming-up. Hurry!

[iblogleft]

We need to invest in a company like this- http://raw-solar.com/index.html
We could change the face of energy production in 5 years.

[netzwerg]

The europeans already use this solarthermal technology in big scale: http://www.rechargenews.com/multimedia/archive/00030/andasol_aerial_web_1_30786b.jpg

Infos here: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2008/11/andasol-1-goes-into-operation-54019

[netzwerg]

better picture: http://www.treehugger.com/Algerian%20Solar%20Thermal.jpg

[mamacat]

This sounds like a very good idea.
An energy infrastructure has got to be more expensive than a few solar panels.

[NC4Obama]

indeed, and they don't use much energy so a few solar panels can do a lot of good.

[Joethepauper]

Right. Mauritus isn't the U.S., so a small, simple solution works for them. We can still do micro-solar and micro-wind, for personal gadgets, but we need a huge solar array to supply our massive amount of energy. If we spent $1 Billion per day on solar and wind technology, instead of spending that money on Saudi oil (funding our enemies in the process), we could solve our energy problems. We have Death Valley and Yellowstone! We should be the Saudi Arabia of clean, renewable energy, with surplus energy to sell. There is a supervolcano that is 40,000 years overdue for a super-eruption, right under our feet, that could cause the extinction of our entire species. Tap Yellowstone and release some of that pressure. I think the Mayans were smarter than we give them credit for. 12/21/12 is coming soon!

[karela]

A very cool article and a very cool product. It boggles the mind that something so small and so simple could make such a difference in a family's life in rural Africa and elsewhere. Instead of big projects, big grants and the red tape that comes with subsidies, this company offers a thin, nearly indestructible product about the size of a piece of paper that allows a family to have LIGHT in the evening or listen to a radio or power a cell phone that gives them contact with medical care. What an amazing concept! When people live on $1/day we tend to think that they can't afford anything, but this product costs them $15 and it saves them $90/year in fuel costs. If they don't have to spend it on kerosene, they can spend it on food. The people who sell the products are able to take it to far rural villages and they get to keep 30% from each sale they make, so it provides a decent job and more money in the community. I am VERY impressed! And the whole operation doesn't dirty the environment at all. Wow.

[SonofLiberty1]

So I will buy another product NOT made in America?

Forget that!

[Joethepauper]

Good luck finding something that's still made in the U.S. My cup of ramen noodles is made here! WTF? The cheapest Chinese noodles imaginable, and they're made in the U.S. Stay classy!