
How Solar Lanterns Are Giving Power to the People - Oatseller
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2015/11/climate-change/solar-power-text
======
jussij
This is one reason why here in Australia our coal reserves are fast becoming
next to worthless.

Australian politicians understand how much income coal exports generate for
Australia, but they fail to accept the fact that coal is a dying insdustry.

In an effort to sure up the future of coal, our last PM proclaimed _coal was
good for humanity_ , suggesting it would drive the use of electricity in
emerging countries like India.

The reality is, to use coal in India will need the creation of new coal fired
power station, it would require the building of very expensive power
distribution systems and finally it would need those dwellings to be wired up
to that grid in order to start buying power.

Finally, those poorer Indians would then only need earn enough money to cover
that monthly electricity bill in order to stay on the grid.

Alternatively, those same households can just cut out the middle man, not sit
around waiting for that infrastructure to turn up, but instead make a one
payment in solar technology, which has the exact same effect of helping to
lift them out of poverty.

------
ris
And we can all help make this happen:

[http://www.solar-aid.org/](http://www.solar-aid.org/)

------
oneJob
So, that initial photo is really depressing. My take away, they can now be
forced to work for next to nothing at night too.

