3. 1. REDUCES LOCAL AIR
POLLUTION
2. OFFSETS GREENHOUSE
GASES
3. CONSERVES ENERGY
4.REDUCES NEED FOR DRYCELL BATTERY DISPOSAL
4. REDUCES LOCAL AIR POLLUTION
Use of solar electric systems decreases
the amount of local air pollution. With
a decrease in the amount of kerosene
used for lighting,
there is a corresponding reduction in
the amount of local pollution
produced. Solar rural electrification
also decreases the amount of
electricity needed from small diesel
generators.
5. OFFSETS GREENHOUSE GASES
Photovoltaic systems produce
electric power with no carbon
dioxide (CO2) emissions.
Carbon emission offset is
calculated at approximately 6
tons of CO2 over the twentyyear life of one PV system.
6. CONSERVES ENERGY
Solar electricity for the Third World is
an effective energy conservation
program because it conserves costly
conventional power for urban
areas, town market centers, and
industrial and commercial
uses, leaving decentralized PVgenerated power to provide the
lighting and basic electrical needs of
the majority of the developing world's
rural populations.
7. REDUCES NEED FOR DRY-CELL
BATTERY DISPOSAL
Small dry-cell batteries for flashlights and
radios are used throughout the
unelectrified world. Most of these batteries
are disposable lead-acid cells which are not
recycled. Lead from disposed dry-cells
leaches into the ground, contaminating the
soil and water. Solar rural electrification
dramatically decreases the need for
disposable dry-cell batteries. Over 12 billion
dry-cell batteries were sold in 1993.
8. 1. PROVIDES SUPERIOR LIGHTING AT
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
LEAST COST
EXTENDS THE PRODUCTIVE WORKDAY
FOSTERS MICRO-ENTERPRISE
DEVELOPMENT
CREATES DIRECT EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITIES
FACILITATES DEVELOPMENT OF MICROLENDING PROGRAMS
CONSERVES FOREIGN EXCHANGE
9. PROVIDES SUPERIOR LIGHTING AT
LEAST COST
Solar home systems provide the least-
cost means of receiving high quality
home lighting. While providing
brighter lighting, as well as access to
radio and television. When low-cost
financing is available, monthly
payments for a solar home system are
often below what a family is currently
paying for kerosene, dry-cell
batteries, candles, and recharging car
batteries.
10. EXTENDS THE PRODUCTIVE WORKDAY
It is dark by 6:30 year round in the
equatorial latitudes. Electric lighting
allows families to extend their
workday into the evening hours. Many
villages where SELF has installed
solar lights now boast home craft
industries. In Vietnam, SELF installed
solar outdoor lights in two village
markets, allowing businesses to
operate during the evening.
11. FOSTERS MICRO-ENTERPRISE
DEVELOPMENT
Solar electricity helps promote local
enterprises.
Small shops and village markets can
use the systems to provide lighting to
operate during the evening.
Small businesses utilizing electric
sewing machines, water pumps, and
computers are also benefited by the
availability of solar electric systems.
12. CREATES DIRECT EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITIES
Local businesses selling and
servicing solar home systems
provide employment for local
residents.
Dealers, technicians, and local
technicians all can be employed
selling and servicing solar home
systems.
13. FACILITATES DEVELOPMENT OF
MICRO-LENDING PROGRAMS
Revolving credit funds, and other
financing mechanisms may be
utilized for the purpose of
purchasing solar home systems.
Such credit funds serve as a
vehicle for local financial
institutions to begin loaning
money to rural areas.
14. CONSERVES FOREIGN EXCHANGE
As much as 90% of the export earnings of
some developing countries are used to pay
for imported oil, most of it for power
generation. Capital saved by not building
additional large power plants can be used
for investment in
health, education, economic
development, and industry. Expanding
solar rural electrification creates jobs and
business opportunities based on an
appropriate technology in a decentralized
marketplace.
15. 1. REDUCES KEROSENE-
INDUCED FIRES
2. IMPROVES INDOOR AIR
QUALITY
3. INCREASES EFFECTIVENESS
OF HEALTH PROGRAMS
4. ALLOWS TELEMEDICINE
16. REDUCES KEROSENE-INDUCED FIRES
Kerosene lamps are a serious fire
hazard in the developing world,
killing and maiming tens of
thousands of people each year.
Kerosene, diesel fuel and gasoline
stored for lamps and small
generators are also a safety
threat, whereas solar electric
light is entirely safe.
17. IMPROVES INDOOR AIR QUALITY
Fumes from kerosene lamps in
poorly ventilated houses are a
serious health problem in much of
the world where electric light is
unavailable. The World Bank
estimates that 780 million women
and children breathing kerosene
fumes inhale the equivalent of smoke
from 2 packs of cigarettes a day.
18. INCREASES EFFECTIVENESS OF
HEALTH PROGRAMS
1. Use of a solar electric lighting
systems by rural health
centers increases the quality
of health care provided. Solar
electric systems improve
patient diagnoses through
brighter task lighting and use
of electrically-lit microscopes.
19. INCREASES EFFECTIVENESS OF
HEALTH PROGRAMS
2. Photovoltaics can also power
televisions and VCRs to educate health
workers and patients about preventative
care, medical procedures, and other
health care provisions. Finally, solar
electric refrigerators have a higher
degree of temperature control than
kerosene units, leading to lower vaccine
spoilage rates, and increased
immunization effectiveness
20. ALLOWS TELEMEDICINE
Telemedicine is the use of
telecommunications technology to
provide, enhance, or expedite health
care services, by accessing off-site
databases, linking clinics or
physicians' offices to central
hospitals, or transmitting x-rays or
other diagnostic images for
examination at another site.
21. ALLOWS TELEMEDICINE
Within moments of plugging in
the new telemedicine device, local
Caboclo Indians can have
measurements of blood
pressure, body
temperature, pulse, and bloodoxygen uploaded via satellite to
the University of Southern
Alabama for remote diagnosis.
22. 1. IMPROVES LITERACY
2. INCREASES ACCESS TO NEWS AND
INFORMATION
3. ENABLES EVENING EDUCATION
CLASSES
4. FACILITATES WIRELESS RURAL
TELEPHONY
23. IMPROVES LITERACY
Solar rural electrification
improves literacy by providing
high quality electric reading
lights. Electric lighting is far
brighter than kerosene lighting or
candles. Use of solar electric light
aids students in studying during
evening hours.
24. INCREASES ACCESS TO NEWS AND
INFORMATION
Photovoltaics give rural areas access
to news and educational
programming through television and
radio broadcasts. With the advent of
television and radio, people
previously cut off from electronic
information, education, and
entertainment can become part of the
modern world without leaving home.
25. ENABLES EVENING EDUCATION
CLASSES
Ongoing education classes and adult
literacy classes can be held during the
evening in solar-lit community
centers. SELF has electrified
community centers and schools in
many countries, and has witnessed
the development of adult literacy and
professional classes possible with the
introduction of solar electric lighting
systems in community centers.
26. FACILITATES WIRELESS RURAL
TELEPHONY
Solar electricity, when
coupled with wireless
communications, makes it
possible to introduce rural
telephony and data
communication services to
remote villages.
