Solar power not the answer

THE Hood Lagoon solar programme is not the main topic for the people of Rigo but rather the lack of basic services.
We all know why Ano Pala bought the solar pa­nels and why it is impossible to bring electricity to Hood Lagoon.
But why buy them for his village at the ex­pense of the rest of the district?
If he was serious about rural electrification programme, he could have started in Do­romu or Mt Brown, where maternal and child morta­lity rates are high.
The solar panels only extract and utilise 22% of the sun’s energy and are idle during cloudy or rainy days.
With only four panels per household, the utilisation rate is below 50%, thereby defeating the purpose of providing power
to villages in Hula, Kalo and Bore, who are better off without electricity.

Mou Sisima
Ormald LLG