Environmental Benefits
Reduces local air pollution
Use of solar electric systems decreases the amount of local air pollution. With a decrease in the amount of kerosene used for lighting, there is a corresponding reduction in the amount of local pollution produced. Solar rural electrification also decreases the amount of electricity needed from small diesel generators.
Offsets greenhouse gases
Photovoltaic systems produce electric power with no carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Carbon emission offset is calculated at approximately 6 tons of CO2 over the twenty-year life of one PV system.
Conserves energy
Solar electricity for the Third World is an effective energy conservation program because it conserves costly conventional power for urban areas, town market centers, and industrial and commercial uses, leaving decentralized PV-generated power to provide the lighting and basic electrical needs of the majority of the developing world’s rural populations.
Reduces need for dry-cell battery disposal
Small dry-cell batteries for flashlights and radios are used throughout the unelectrified world. Most of these batteries are disposable lead-acid cells which are not recycled. Lead from disposed dry-cells leaches into the ground, contaminating the soil and water. Solar rural electrification dramatically decreases the need for disposable dry-cell batteries. Over 12 billion dry-cell batteries were sold in 1993.
Health Benefits
Reduces kerosene-induced fires
Kerosene lamps are a serious fire hazard in the developing world, killing and maiming tens of thousands of people each year. Kerosene, diesel fuel and gasoline stored for lamps and small generators are also a safety threat, whereas solar electric light is entirely safe.
Improves indoor air quality
Fumes from kerosene lamps in poorly ventilated houses are a serious health problem in much of the world where electric light is unavailable. The World Bank estimates that 780 million women and children breathing kerosene fumes inhale the equivalent of smoke from 2 packs of cigarettes a day.
Increases effectiveness of health programs
Use of a solar electric lighting systems by rural health centers increases the quality of health care provided. Solar electric systems improve patient diagnoses through brighter task lighting and use of electrically-lit microscopes. Photovoltaics can also power televisions and VCRs to educate health workers and patients about preventative care, medical procedures, and other health care provisions. Finally, solar electric refrigerators have a higher degree of temperature control than kerosene units, leading to lower vaccine spoilage rates, and increased immunization effectiveness.
Allows telemedicine
Telemedicine is the use of telecommunications technology to provide, enhance, or expedite health care services, by accessing off-site databases, linking clinics or physicians’ offices to central hospitals, or transmitting x-rays or other diagnostic images for examination at another site. Deep in the Brazilian Amazon, SELF demonstrated the feasibility of telemedicine in remote areas by using a combination of solar power and satellite communications. Within moments of plugging in the new telemedicine device, local Caboclo Indians can have meaurements of blood pressure, body temperature, pulse, and blood-oxygen uploaded via satellite to the University of Southern Alabama for remote diagnosis.
Educational Benefits
Improves literacy
Solar rural electrification improves literacy by providing high quality electric reading lights. Electric lighting is far brighter than kerosene lighting or candles. Use of solar electric light aids students in studying during evening hours.
Increases access to news and information
Photovoltaics give rural areas access to news and educational programming through television and radio broadcasts. With the advent of television and radio, people previously cut off from electronic information, education, and entertainment can become part of the modern world without leaving home.
Enables evening education classes
Ongoing education classes and adult literacy classes can be held during the evening in solar-lit community centers. SELF has electrified community centers and schools in many countries, and has witnessed the development of adult literacy and professional classes possible with the introduction of solar electric lighting systems in community centers.
Facilitates wireless rural telephony
Solar electricity, when coupled with wireless communications, makes it possible to introduce rural telephony and data communication services to remote villages.
