Solar Power Installation

Last year we installed 2 solar power systems, for 2 rural primary schools near Kigali.  This year we plan to install 45 such systems, for 45 families.  Today we finished 6 of them in Murambi, about an hour away from Kigali. 

We placed a set of two 20-watt solar panels on a rack outside the house, and drew a cable from the panels to the house.  The solar panels and the cable have to be movable so that that can be taken inside the house at night.  Otherwise they could be stolen.  

The electrical power generated is used to charge a solar battery through a controller that manages the charging and discharging of the battery.  The battery then powers LED lights and USB chargers. 

As soon as the system was turned on, the man of the house eagerly plugged his mobile phone charger into the USB charger.  I was told that every 3 days, they have to walk for an hour into town to get their phones charged, at 200 Rwandan francs each.  Which amounts to roughly 2 Hongkong dollars.  

Now they can charge other people’s phones, for a fee.  No wonder the man of the house was beaming when we left.