Solar power

For many remote and rural parts of Kenya the practical and financial difficulties associated with distributing grid electricity mean that for many years to come people are going to be reliant on alternative sources of energy, like solar power for their domestic lighting needs.

Sadly, many solar applications on the market in developing countries do not pass the test of being affordable, accessible and appropriate. As a result they cannot meet the needs of poor people who continue to use kerosene, candles and dry cell batteries for their power needs.

ITDGPractical Action's consulting subsidiary have developed a low cost Solar Lantern designed to make this source of energy more accessible. The lantern, now in prototype, can provide up to six hours of high quality light, or a combination of light and radio output to bring news and information to households.

Further reading

• the Glowstar solar lantern website
• illustrated guide to the solar lantern ~72kb
• in depth paper on solar power ~34kb
• ITDGPractical Action Technical Brief on rural lighting 113K
• ITDGPractical Action East Africa's energy programme
• Sollatek, Practical Action Consulting's partner in manufacturing the solar lantern

Case studies: Kenyan users give their views on the solar lantern
"As soon as we got this lantern we could see that it was better. When the lantern is on we can't see that the kerosene one is on. When we are doing something outside it lights my way. And when my children are doing their homework it helps them too -- they get about two hours of work to do."

Sollatek, manufacturers of the Glowstar lantern, are giving away 10 free Glowstars to a different charity every month. Visit the Sollatek website for an application form