By Greentech Lead America: The Solar Electric Light Fund
(SELF), a nonprofit working to eliminate energy poverty through the use of
solar power, has installed solar electric systems at 11 health care facilities
and one hospital along the southwest coast of Haiti. SELF has partnered with
Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Government of Haiti for this
program.
The systems have a combined power output of over 38 kW.
The systems will help improve the quality of medical services by powering
lights, microscopes, centrifuges, autoclaves, vaccine refrigerators and other
lifesaving equipment.
The system enables one of the clinics to save money from
no longer having to purchase and transport the fuel previously needed to power
a vaccine refrigerator, since it is now connected to the solar system on site.
The system also provides power at night and allows clinics serve 24 hours.
“A doctor cannot be expected to perform lifesaving
surgeries at night without lights or power for medical equipment. Now, through
the provision of reliable solar power, doctors can treat patients at night,
diagnose patients any time, and provide vaccines to patients in need – all
while saving money by decreasing or eliminating the need for diesel fuel,”
said Bob Freling, SELF’s executive director.
SELF has hired and trained eight local technicians to
maintain the systems at all the sites. They will also train energy managers and
medical staffs on how to operate and monitor each clinic’s system on a daily
basis.
“The sustainability of our systems is critical to
all of our projects. In a country continuing to rebuild, it is our
responsibility to not only invest in and implement effective energy
technologies, but we must also invest in its people,” Freling added.
SELF’s partnership with the IDB and the Government of
Haiti began in 2010 with plans to install solar streetlights at two transition
camps in Port-au-Prince.
NRG completes 2 solar projects under Clinton Global Initiative
in Haiti
Recently, SELF and NRG Energy completed first two
projects funded by Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) to build solar energy sites
in Haiti.
editor@greentechlead.com
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