[ [http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=46247&src=rss UK's SolarAid Offers Solar Projects to Developing Countries] ] ]Aims
The objectives of SolarAid are:
*To relieve poverty through facilitating the provision of solar energy to those in need.
*To advance the education of the public in matters relating to solar energy, climate change, and the protection of the environment
*To carry out and disseminate the results of research into all aspects of energy generation, distribution, supply and use. [ [http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/showcharity.asp?regno=1115960 From Charity Commision website] ]
Projects
SolarAid obtained charitable status in August 2006. [ [http://solar-aid.org/about/our-history.html] ] It came out of Solarcentury, now the UK's largest solar company, [ [http://www.solarcentury.com/] ] when a group of volunteers there came together to launch SolarAid's first project in Malawi. [ [http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/showcharity.asp?regno=1115960 From Charity Commision website] ]
SolarAid's second project was in southern Tanzania, with an organisation called Neema Crafts in Iringa. [ [http://www.neemacrafts.com/news/index.php?Action=2&id=153&page1=1] ] SolarAid trained a group of deaf and disabled people to build and sell microsolar products.
SolarAid started to expand in 2007 through funding from several sources, particularly TRAID for Malawi [ [http://www.traid.org.uk/sa.html] ] and the Global Cool Foundation for Zambia. [ [http://www.globalcool.org/en/2007/10/03/qa-solaraid/] ] These projects comprise a combination of macrosolar installations for schools and community centres, and microsolar trainings for small entrepreneurs.
Approach
Microsolar
SolarAid identifies entrepreneurs in developing countries, who it then trains in business planning, market research and solar skills. [ [http://www.gvepinternational.org/our_partners/ongoing_projects/launch_of_solaraid_in_london] ] It helps them set up their solar microbusinesses so that they can build and sell solar lanterns and solar chargers for radios and mobile phones. [ [http://www.redorbit.com/news/business/1343819/tanzanians_take_to_microsolar_panels/index.html] ] SolarAid research showed that the average household in a developing country spends between 10-20% of its income on kerosene for lighting, single use batteries for their radios, and charging their mobile phones. Kerosene smoke is toxic, single use batteries are polluting, and mobile phone chargers need access to the electric grid, which most rural areas in developing countries do not have and probably will never have.SolarAid’s solar entrepreneurs convert kerosene lamps into solar lanterns using light emitting diodes (LEDs, which are cheaper, robust and use little energy) and build solar chargers from local materials and imported solar glass. [ [http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=46247] ] These solar products can then fulfill much of the average household's energy needs, leading to a substantial increase in their income because they no longer need to buy kerosene or batteries. The solar entrepreneurs make money and reinvest their profits into their microbusinesses in order to grow.
SolarAid aims to convert every single kerosene lamp in Africa into a solar lantern.
Macrosolar
SolarAid’s macrosolar work involves installing larger solar systems in schools, community centres and health clinics. Barely 2% of rural populations in most African countries have access to the grid, forcing them to rely on kerosene, candles, car batteries and firewood for fuel. Schools cannot teach in the evenings; community centres cannot offer services such as educational videos or vocational training; and health clinics cannot power basic medical equipment such as vaccine fridges. Yet a standard 300 watt system installed on the roof of a school, community centre or clinic can solve all these issues.
*In Uganda, SolarAid is installing a solar system on the community office of the Katine Project, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/katine/2008/feb/28/background.development] a programme run by development charity AMREF and The Guardian newspaper and funded by Barclays bank.
*In Malawi, SolarAid installed a 300 watt system on a community centre, the only place now with electricity for miles around.
*In South Africa, SolarAid installed a solar system on an orphanage.
*Over the next four years Solar Aid is starting a programme to install systems on hundreds of schools, community centres and health clinics in Tanzania and Zambia.
upport
Following Solarcentury's example, a number of other companies have offered support:
*Scottish and Southern Energy provides funding and staff volunteers for SolarAid’s projects in Tanzania
*Vodafone and Global Cool provide funding for SolarAid’s Zambia programme
*Lloyds of London, through its charities trust, is helping develop SolarAid’s carbon offsetting scheme
*White & Case and Covington & Burling, two legal firms, give pro bono advice
*the City of London, through the City Bridge Trust, supports the charity’s communications activities in London.
Foundations have also provided help, from the Big Lottery Fund's grant to research setting up programmes in Tanzania and Zambia, to assistance with UK management costs from Avina Stiftung, the Sylvia Adams Trust, the Polden Puckham Foundation and others.
Launch and patronage
SolarAid launched officially in December 2007, with an event at City Hall in London presented by the Major of London Ken Livingstone. [ [http://www.gvepinternational.org/our_partners/ongoing_projects/launch_of_solaraid_in_london Launch of SolarAid in London] ] Launch of SolarAid in London More than 180 people from the energy industry, NGOs, government, African embassies, foundations and others attended.
SolarAid has also recruited the patronage of Hollywood actress Cate Blanchett. [ [http://cateblanchett.net/content/page/37] ] The London premiere of her film Elizabeth II raised funds for SolarAid in October 2007 and she was interviewed in Marie Claire in June 2008 about her support for SolarAid. [ [http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/celebrity/best/6753/1/0/eco-celebrities.html] ]
ee also
*Renewable energy in developing countries
*UN-Energy
References
