Solar energy projects for developing countries in Africa and the Middle East MENA Region have often been put on the backburner due to financial considerations as well as lack of attention by local government bodies. Whether it has involved sophisticated solar “farms” or small solar devices for barefoot Bedouin women, more attention is being focused to bring solar energy to poor people to light up their world.
New portable, and affordable, solar powered devices are now becoming more available to millions of people who live in areas where established electrical grids are not available.
A recent article on Mashable, the technology web news site, reports on 11 ingenious solar devices that are having a positive impact on the developing world. These devices range from simple solar stills to create fresh drinking water from dirty or saline water sources, to portable lighting for homes and power sources to run or recharge electronic devices, including cell phones. These are solutions that developing nations can afford now and many of them have been covered here on Green Prophet.
Many people in the developing world do not have proper lighting in their homes, which causes problems for school children needing to study at night. Inadequate lighting is also a serious issue for medical field workers, including midwives, who need adequate lighting to treat their patients.
Solar powered lighting devices such as one called d.light S20 can provide up to 8 hours of light after being charged by solar cells (see photo below)
Another solar powered device of interest is an irrigation called SunWater which provides crop irrigation to poor farmers by using solar powered pressurization of water flowing from nearby water sources.
This device, using easily erected solar panels and piping, can help millions of farmers whose fields do not have easy access to available water sources.
Although some of these devices, like an artificial, self-healing hydrogen producing leaf are still in the innovation stage, other new solar devices are now ready to be marketed to the masses who really need them in the developing world.
More articles on solar powered devices for the developing world:
WakaWaka’s Solar for Syria gives refugees energy and light (video)
iLAND’sSolar Packs for Peace-keepers, Festivals, Eco-jocks and Alpha Wolves Who Travel with theSun
Jumpstarting Solar Power in the MENA Region
Barefoot College Bedouin Women Bring Solar Power to Jordan
Photo of Eliodomestico Solar Still by designer Gabrile Diamante
