United Nations Environment Programme
Risoe Centre on Energy, Climate and Sustainable Development, Denmark
29-Apr-2007
UNEP-led project expands to other developing countries
Life for an estimated 100,000 people in poverty-stricken rural India has been improved dramatically by several hours of reliable solar-powered lighting every night, made available by a UN-led pilot project to facilitate household financing for solar home systems.
The $1.5 million pilot, managed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), has improved so many lives in India that sister programmes to boost energy access are being initiated in other developing countries.
Even a few hours of 20 to 40-watt solar-powered lighting in homes and small shops nightly has been credited with better grades for schoolchildren, better productivity for cottage-based industries such as needlework artisans, and even better sales at fruit stands, where produce is no longer spoiled by fumes from kerosene lamps.
Full text: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-04/urco-ueb042307.php
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