COSTA RICA SOLAR LIGHTING PROJECT – NOVEMBER 2009
Funds Disbursed
$43,500
Project Delivery Partner
Light Up The World
Local Partner/Organization
Asociacion para la Ciencia y la Educacion Moral
Project Description
Due to the remoteness of the communities and distance from the national grid lines, many of the indigenous Bribri communities in the Talamanca region, in the south-east of Costa Rica, have to use candles as their primary source of energy for lighting. Kerosene is also used on occasion as an alternative; however its higher cost and difficulties sourcing it usually prevents large scale usage in such communities.
The daily cost of candles is not cheap: the average candle lasts about 20 minutes and households may use as many as four candles per day, costing up to a dollar per day. This equates to spending 30% of household income on energy consumption. In addition to the cost, the quality of light from candles is poor, which makes reading or studying hard, and the smoke from the candle and the naked flame pose health and safety risks.
Positive Impact
The funds provided were used to purchase 85, 5-watt, home solar lighting systems, as well as covering some of the costs involved with training, project management and installation. Assuming 6 people per household, e4e’s funding will help provide solar lighting to 510 people who would otherwise have to use candles for home lighting.
