21-Jan-2021
Lack of access to electricity is a key factor holding back the development of rural areas in low-income countries and, while solar power could be a big catalyst for change, counterfeit panels are holding back its rollout.
That’s the conclusion of a study published in the journal
Energy for Sustainable Development that looked at solar photovoltaic (PV) system use in rural households in Ethiopia, which traditionally have relied on kerosene for power.
Ethiopia has launched a major drive to provide electricity across the country, but even when that is completed – scheduled for 2025 – only around two-thirds of the population will be connected to the grid.