RE: Solar Power as an Alternative Source of Power in Africa (Some Pictures of a Friend's Installation Which he did this Past Weekend)
This is super-duper awesome! I have often thought that it would be great if more Africans used solar power as it reduces their monthly costs and allows for same stability and independence.
But solar powers are so expensive, and because of poverty theft is unfortunately not uncommon in many African countries. I myself would be very fearful of people coming in the night to steal this man's (expensive) solar panels away from him to sell for money. These panels could fetch hundreds of dollars which would be a honeypot for many people living in poverty.
When I visited Africa it was clear to me that if you have some wealth in any shape or form, you had better have a house with a big fence around it and barb wire on top of that fence. Ideally, a guy walking around with a gun too.
So taking that combined, solar power may only be beneficial to those who are already better off than their fellow Africans. Which is a pity :(
Solar panels are expensive no doubt, but the adoption rate is so small that no one thinks of stealing it. It is almost like stealing sunglasses in the land of the blind :)
You can see how low it was mounted with little thought of security in place. No one would go out to steal something that would be hard for them to sell.
We have the sun, but unfortunately not many know the importance of solar. Even those who could afford it. Most usually check the cost of the alternative; gasoline generator. They often think short term, forgetting the long-term benefit of using it.
Thanks for your contribution.
Oh but I don't think they would steal it in order to use it themselves. They'd simply steal it and sell it for a couple hundred dollars. That would be a big prize for people who have nearly nothing.
While adoption of solar in Africa may be low, in my experience Africans are not so out of touch with the world that they don't know that solar panels (or other stuff) are valuable.
I suppose it differs between countries; the amount of poverty and culture.
My experience with Africa has been Zimbabwe/Tanzania/Botswana (awesome countries, awesome people) so I base my views mostly on what I saw and experienced there.
Theft is not much of an issue here.I have witnessed a fallen solar street light that stayed months on the ground on a lonely road. No one thought it necessary to steal it. People may know it's valuable, but I guess it is a technology that most are yet to adopt. So, stealing one may not be an easy venture in terms of disposal.
Also, many solar users are not quick to buy fairly used solar panels as it may be gotten illegally from the government since they run the biggest solar projects, and nobody wants a problem with the government :)
I sure hope nobody steals it, in any case! Being self-sufficient in energy sounds like a great plan in any country, but maybe particularly so in Africa.
Did you ever hear of that guy in Malawi who built a wind power generator from scratch by reading how to do it on the internet? A bit more primitive but I thought that was cool too: https://www.ted.com/talks/william_kamkwamba_how_i_harnessed_the_wind
Yes, I have watched this Ted talk and read about him. Almost with zero knowledge of electricity. We have gifted individuals here. There is a guy that builds RC Quadcopter using the different salvaged part from radio mechanics. He has a zero diploma in electronics or engineering!