Switching on to solar - goodbye kerosene Mukuri Primary School
students benefit from solar lanterns to do their homework
without smoke and the risk of fire hazards. After just a few
weeks, the performance of the students increased significantly.
(Photo: Renewable Energy Ventures) An estimated 1.6 billion
people in the developing world depend on kerosene lamps for
lighting. Resource poor households spend a significant
proportion of their income on fuel for this low-level lighting
source which exposes them to serious health and safety hazards.
The long-term financial, health and safety and environmental
costs of kerosene lamps are considerable. A smarter, cleaner,
more affordable and efficient alternative in the form of solar-
powered lanterns offers hope for a brighter future. Joseph
Nganga, CEO of Kenya-based Renewable Energy Ventures (REV), met
with WIPO Magazine on the sidelines of the WIPO Conference on
Innovation and Climate Change in Geneva in July 2011 and
explained what his company is doing to light up