Solar lanterns for Africa

NAIROBI, May 18 (Reuters)

African energy gets an off-grid boost
NAIROBI, May 18 (Reuters)
* Africa spends $10 bln per year on kerosene
* Cost of solar alternatives declining steadily
* Some 700 mln Africans seen without electricity by 2030
The World Bank and International Finance Corporation have budgeted $12 million to begin weaning Africa’s off-grid energy market away from its dependence on expensive fuel-based lighting, an official said on Tuesday.
It will target low-cost renewable energy sources, such as solar-powered lanterns, to reach the 700 million Africans they say will be without electricity by 2030.
“Today in Africa, people spend more than $10 billion a year on kerosene,” programme director, Patrick Avato, told Reuters. “People are spending 10 to 30 percent of their disposable incomes on kerosene. What that is getting them is very low quality light that causes indoor pollution and health problems, apart from significant greenhouse gas emissions,” he said. Avato said the cost of solar-based technologies has dropped significantly since 2008 and has become an increasingly viable option for manufacturers of consumer products.
“Rather than spend $5 every month on kerosene … some (solar-based) products are now less than $25 and once you have bought them their operation is free,” Avato said.
The programme’s leaders expect to facilitate the sale of 500,000 off-grid lighting products through commercial sector players by 2012, Lighting Africa said in a statement.
“The programme has a budget of around $12 million … we are finalising negotiations to very significantly increase this amount,” Avato said, adding the group lobbies African leaders as well as offers some direct financing to manufacturers.
Pilot programmes are already under way in Kenya and Ghana and Lighting Africa expects 2.5 million people Africa-wide to swap to the renewable alternatives by 2012, building a platform for some 250 million by 2030, the group said.