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Locally-made solar panels for small appliances by John Keane
The idea was simple. Solar panels, when placed in the sunlight, are capable of generating electricity. While this idea was not new in itself, what was new was that the group was learning that solar panels do not always have to be expensive and that it is possible to make a small solar panel for as little as a 1$US... a price quite similar to that of an everyday torch battery. The difference between a battery and a solar panel, however, is that while a battery may only last a few days in constant use, a solar panel lasts for many years, and the solar panels can be used to recharge rechargeable batteries during the day so that the users can enjoy power after dark too.
Because of the low costs involved, the solar trainer, John Keane, felt that the technology offered groups like KCYP an ideal opportunity to start a small community business. The basic idea is that the group could use low cost materials to assemble panels that could be sold at a low cost within the local community, and earn a small profit. A few simple training sessions showed the group how to make solar panels using special solar glass and locally available materials such as wire and plywood; KCYP were ready to start production. The group managed to raise the money for the materials, and the solar trainer helped out by loaning some of his tools to the group.
Today, KCYP have produced many solar panels and Fred Ouko, the leader of KCYP, is hoping that the venture will be able to produce more and more panels in the coming year. John Keane is also very optimistic as, following time spent as a volunteer for the charity SPW in Tanzania, he arrived in Kenya with a single goal. His goal was to spread the word about what he thought was an excellent idea. The idea, which he discovered by coming across a website set up by a British inventor Graham Knight, was to introduce the concept that small solar panels, which last for many, many years, can be used to power radios in place of batteries. Once the batteries have been used, they are useless and only serve to pollute local environments and endanger young children if they are not disposed of carefully.
When the sun is shining, these small solar panels can be used instead of batteries. This means less costs and less pollution. Furthermore, the panels can be assembled in Africa, for people living in Africa. This reverses the all too common situation where materials are taken from Africa and then assembled elsewhere in the world for people to make profits outside of the continent. Since his arrival in Kenya, John has trained many individuals and groups in East Africa and has recently returned from four months in West Africa where he was contracted by the NGO, Environmental Foundation for Africa (With IUCN funding) to run a series of solar workshops in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Benin and Senegal; all designed to raise solar awareness. John is currently in preliminary discussions with the Kenyan Organisation for Environmental Education (KOEE), in a bid to introduce the idea of Solar Power to school children in the form of a series of lesson plans and teacher workshops. This future project is, however, dependent on funding. For more information on the above article, John Keane can be contacted at johnnykeane@... For more information on the solar technology being used, visit Graham Knightâs website: http://www.biodesign.org.uk For more information on KCYP and their work in Kibera, visit: http://www.kcyp.kabissa.org [top] [end]Download the original article Locally-made solar panels for small appliances by John Keane (165 KB)[top] [end]Contents: Boiling Point 51 - Sharing information and communicating knowledge
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Page created:
07 June 2007; Last edited:
20 August 2007; Version: 6 | ||||||||||||
Pagename: Locally-madeSolarPanelsForSmallAppliances @HEDON: MUEA | ||||||||||||
