Green power to the Sri Lankan people

[jpak]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/christmasappeal2006/story/0,,1976502,00.html

When darkness fell on the quiet hamlet of Gurugoda in Sri Lanka's north-western province, Anoma Kumari's home would become a den of danger. Would her teenage daughter complete her homework without going up in flames? Would her family of five finish their dinner without a gust of wind igniting the house's bamboo rafters?

<snip>

Anoma's 16-year-old daughter Gayani now not only revises for her O-levels in safety, she also turns on the family's old black and white television to watch programmes that go over Singhalese, science and maths papers. Money that would have been used to buy kerosene can be spent on food and schoolbooks. With a new light bulb the family also managed to spot three poisonous snakes.

The turbine, which provides each household with 200W of electricity from dusk to dawn, was specially developed for the village by Practical Action, which worked with local authorities and a community organisation to ensure that the technology and the amount of energy consumed were right for the weather and social conditions of Gurugoda.

<snip>

None of the homes is metered and villagers are not charged for electricity. Instead they rely on the close networks of rural Sri Lankan life to ensure that the small supply of energy is distributed equally. Bulbs, plugs and appliances are checked and controlled by a special consumer society made up of villagers. Only the lowest consuming versions are used. Each household pays a monthly contribution for the maintenance of the turbine: 150 rupees (70p) for those with a television and cassette player and 100 rupees for families without.

<more>

[kestrel91316]

1. Sounds like communism to me.

:sarcasm:

[Nihil]

2. Excellent.

This is where renewables really work: in isolated rural communities.