Off-Grid Solar for Rural Development

The World Bank estimates that over two billion people on the planet live their daily lives without access to basic, reliable electric services. Rural populations in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and island nations need clean water, health services, communications, and light at night. Small, simple, solar electric systems are part of the solution—increasing the quality of life, often at a cost that is less than what is presently being spent for kerosene, dry-cell batteries, and the recharging of automotive batteries that must be lugged to the nearest town on a weekly basis (see Figure 1).