Page 26 - DIVA_1_2009

Solar Aid - a NGO not like the others
Interview with John Keane, Head of Programmes,

SolarAid

{JK it's wind. In mrich of coininihnent towards a sys- absolutely everywhere. It's
Africa, it's solar. tem before it is iiistalled. This therefore qriite siinple. Once
can come iii the fonn of a sotneone has a solar charger,
Q: What kind of pro- financial contribution towards they can save a great deal of
jects do you have and the system and also 'man money by reducing their
where? hours' where a coi'iununity reliance on non renewable
agrees to aSsist with the instal- fuel sorirces.
We are cu-rently working lation and train others aborit
in fotir cormtries, namely: solar power. Q: Has these products
Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya been developed by your
and Zambia. We nin what Q: Who are financing organization? Do you
we call 'microsolar' pro- your activities? sell them to people or are
jects and macrosolar pro- they only reserved for
)ects. We briiig together the vakies your projects?
of the charity sector with the
Q: Could you tell us Microsolarprojects essential- professionalism of the busi- We warit eveiyone to liave
about your organization, ly provides oppoitunities for ness sector and benefit from access to solar power. We
how it started and the enterprising people to perso- the assistance of a number of don't make products oirsel-
philosophy behind it. nally design, assemble and companies such as ves. We teach people how to
market low-cost solar systems Solarcentury, Scottish arid assemble products. We educa-
Yes. SolarAid is a charity - typically around 1 watt of Sorithem Energy, White & te people aborit other solar
which was established in power that are tailor-made to Case and Vodafone. We also products that may be of rise to
2006 in order to help poor satisfy local demands for receive fi'inds from grant them.
coi'numinities in developing affordable levels of electricity giving agencies such as
countries rise solar power to in i'iiral Africa. Microsolar TRAffl). We want the microsolar mar-
fight climate change and lights are intended to be via- ket to explode inAfrica - just
poverty. We want everyone in ble alternatives to kerosene. Q: You ask for solar char- as the mobile phone market
the world to have access to Microsolar panels can also be ger for mobile phones, has. We want people to not
clean, renewable energy and rised in place of disposable Solar powered battery have to tbinktwice abouthow
we feel that solar power is batteries to play radios and chargers, and Solar pan- they lighttheir homes atnight
well placed to help ris achieve power mobile phones. Note - els to power a radio on - and I don't mean kerosene!
this goal - particularly in the we do not give prodricts away your website. Why and
sru'i i'ich areas of sub Saharan for free. We do not see this as do they really make a dif- Q: If you had a message
Africa where we are ctu-rently a sustainable way of ference? for the international com-
focusing orir efforts. operating. We provide people munity what would that
with opportiinities to develop Eight years ago, I lived in be?
Q: The world is facing an their own enteiprises to meet rural Tanzania and spent a lot
energy crisis and we a growing need. of money buying batteries to Tliat's a ti'icky one. I don't

know that the oil reser- power my radio and kerosene think I'm qrialified to answer
ves will only cover Our macrosolar projects for some evening light. It was that! The easy answer is -
consumption until 2050 involve the installation of Jar- this experience that taught me Reduce yotn reliance on fos-
according to some ger systems (arorind 300 how much money I could sil fuels. Look towards fuel
researchers Do you watts) onto schools, clinics have saved if I'd had access to efficiency, rise solar and other
think solar energy is and coininrinity centres. We small, affordable solar char- renewables. If you're going to
really an alternative? want these system to be rised gers. Ever since this tiine, I subsidise miclear, subsidise
to iinprove the quality of ser- have been involved in looking renewable energy solutions as
Yes. But it is not the only vices on offer to coininrinities for solar sohitions. well.
alternative. We also have to living in areas not served by
stop relying on old technolo- the electricity gird. We also Households across rural Visit www.solai'-aid.oig!
gies and start rising more effi- want these systems to be rised Africa still burn increasingly
cientproducts. We needto cut to generate an income which expensive kerosene every
down on energy waste which can be used to ensure that evening and the still radio is
will reduce our thirst for fossil fiu'ids are available to main- the most prevalent source of
fuels. We also have to ritilize tain and repair the system in news and entertainment on
altemative resources where it fiitiire years. We expect the the continent. As for mobile
makes sense to do so. hi the end risers to show an initial phones - well they are now

24 1 2009 Diva
wwwdivainternaNonalch