Microcredit, Solar Suitcase Among Grassroots Initiatives Spreading Solar Power

In sub-Saharan Africa, almost 600 million people live in the dark. The electrification rate in rural areas is as low as 14% and with climate change already affecting the continent, people are increasingly turning to clean energy to bridge the gap.

While countries such as Morocco, which hosts the world’s biggest solar photovoltaic plant, are ready to embrace the power of large-scale renewables, solar technologies still lag behind in many African regions. Unpredictable subsidies, poor installations and lack of training on how to maintain the solar panels have hindered the spread of solar.

Rural areas in sub-Saharan Africa are peppered with broken solar panels, often not installed properly or donated by institutions that could not cover maintenance costs. This fuels the belief that solar photovoltaic is a bad investment.

http://www.climatechangenews.com/2016/11/23/six-bright-ideas-lighting-up-africa-from-the-grassroots/

Drew Coffman

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