Solar powered lighting comes to Kenyan county to help spur economic growth

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Last month, the Kenyan county of Homabay launched a solar project in partnership with private investors to bring lighting to almost 300 market centers. Solar powered street lamps allow markets to stay open after dark. Each lamp, similar to streets lamps you would see in America except each lamp has its own mini solar power station that collects energy from the sun and storing it for use after dark.

Millions of Kenyans live without electricity despite Africa supplying the world with fossil-based fuels and other minerals. Solar energy offers African countries a way to affordably bring electricity to the rural areas of Africa without the people becoming dependent on the dirty fuels that the West is hooked on or be indebted to private energy companies by paying them for electricity.

Governor Cyprian Awiti at a ceremony marking the launch of the project, stated that the solar powered lights would extend market hours leading to economic growth.

It has been reported that worldwide, 1.3 billion people lack access to electricity and almost 2.6 billion lack reliable sanitation services which can run on solar power. Experts say that solar power can help those living under extreme impoverished conditions.