1.2 billion people,17 percent of the global population, in the world presently live without electricity. In developing nations where incomes are low and jobs are difficult to find, there tends to be lower education achievement. A large part of has to do with lack of electricity; when the sun goes down, the books have to close.
There are initiatives to put solar panels in the lacking communities to develop a greater quality of life and to help keep the lights on. The cycle of poverty and undereducation can be linked to inadequate access to power. Initiatives in African communities installed solar panels and have been quite successful. Prior to solar power, these communities were forced to use kerosene lamps. Kerosene damages the environment and causes headaches and eye pain. Kerosene lamps are being replaced with solar panels to mitigate these effects.
Solar panels have an upfront cost, but receiving communities are already paying a lot for light. In contrast, kerosene is very expensive; it costs 25 to 30 percent of a family’s income. One-fifth of the world’s light is paid for by the world’s poorest one-fifth of the population. Household solar panels are a feasible option for poor communities. Tanzania and Nigeria are great examples of how off grid solar is able to give electricity to communities that would otherwise be without power. An initiative powered by U.S. Aid called “Beyond the Grid” has goals of installing a large community grid system in sub-Saharan Africa. The initiative calls for 60 million new electricity connections for homes and businesses. They are looking for local energy solutions to get electricity to more of its population.
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