Solar Power Helps Families in South Africa

Trifina Tsehla sits on her bed with her child, beneath a light powered by solar panels. Trifina has been a resident of Polokwane for the last 3 years. In the nights her family used only paraffin which created a lot of pollution. She knew it was bad for her kids health but there was no choice as there was no electricity from the grid. When she heard about solar home systems, she wanted to try them out for her family. Now a year later she believes she made the right choice. Her kids are not coughing anymore and they feel much safer in the night.

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No Fundraising

Unique identifier: GP0STQ1CS

Type: Image

Shoot date: 10/06/2016

Locations: Limpopo, Polokwane, South Africa

Credit line: © Mujahid Safodien / Greenpeace

Ranking: ★★★★ (E)

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Off-grid Solar Power in South Africa

Under the South African government's initiative of "Electricity for all by 2020" an off-grid solar installation scheme was initiated to provide basic electricity services to places where the centralised grid did not reach or was not efficient enough. This scheme was a pilot project by the government initiated in 2014 with the aim of reaching out to 20,000 people. Specialized Solar Systems were given the primary contract of installing the systems in identified communities. The model works in the concept where the end users pay 50% for the actual monthly usage charges and the local municipality, via the national government, pay the remaining 50% as a cost incurred by them for the service delivery. Specialized Solar System owns and maintains the systems through various sub installers throughout the country. So far there are about 17,000 systems like these in South Africa. These communities did not have any access to electricity before solar and solely relied on paraffin and kerosene. Solar energy is able to provide energy access efficiently and quickly. Such decentralised models are supported by Greenpeace. Not only South Africa but the entire continent must invest into such models for a 100% Renewable energy pathway.

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Off-grid Solar Power in South Africa

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