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Tapping the sun in South Africa

by Eric Beauchemin

07-01-2008

If there's one thing Africa has an abundance of, it's sunlight. And if there's one thing it really lacks it's electricity: at night, when you fly over Africa, all you see during most of the flight is darkness.

Solar energy would appear to be the ideal solution, but it's still barely used in Africa. A Dutch organisation is planning to help change that. It is already providing solar energy to over 100,000 people in the continent.

Home with solar energy panel

In South Africa, solar home systems are being provided in the province of KwaZulu Natal, with the support of the Department and Minerals and Energy and Foundation Rural Energy Services (FRES), based in the Netherlands. Customers pay a monthly tariff of about six euros to power four lights, a black and white TV, a radio and a cell phone charger.

The South African authorities are supposed to provide an electricity subsidy, which reduces the cost to a little over an euro, but this is still too much for many customers in this poor, remote area of South Africa. As a result nearly 30 percent of customers default on their payments.

Lives changed

Caroline Nijland, the director of Foundation Renewable Energy Services

The solar energy systems are ideal for customers who are not linked up to the national electricity grid. Lindyu, a 35-year-old, has solar energy for three years now. She says:

"it's changed our lives because we used to use candles, and now we have clean and safe light. We also now have television and radio".

Economic boost
It's not only individuals who are using the solar systems. Thanks to the power, shops can open for longer in the evening, and some people have even started up small businesses.

According to Caroline Nijland, the director of FRES,

"some women, for instance, open a small store where they charge mobile phones. Many people have mobile phones but no way to charge them. So this is a unique opportunity for people to increase their income".

FRES plans to expand its solar home systems to reach a million people by the turn of the decade.

Tags: Africa, development, solar energy, South Africa, sustainability

Reaction(s):

Abdirahim Ali Harbi, 27-02-2008 - Canada

I find it extremely mind-boggling to witness daily how our current civilization is continuously engaged in the destruction of our globe. It is a relief though, to see once in a while that people who are very active in labors to correct such a human problem, such as by providing an alternative energy source that dramatically reduces our impact on the environment. I would like to commend Caroline Nijland and her foundation; FRES in their efforts to do magnificent job in South Africa. We need people like this in the world. I would also like to say that other further opportunities lie in countries like Somaliland whose environment faces monumental challenges, including the destruction of trees and forests (or what is left of them) for the production of charcoal. The people of Somaliland are hard working people who are managing their affairs with lack of world recognition and support. They currently have energy needs that local energy companies can meet at very high cost. The average family spends a lot more than 6 Euro a month for their energy needs. I truly believe that this would be an ideal place to introduce this technology and have profound impact on the environment at the same time. Keep up the good job.

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Arne, 08-01-2008 - USA

30% default? Why not give FREE service if you are serious about helping poor people? After all, these defaulters are the poorest of the poor. Don't you trust the poor and just GIVE them the service directly?

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