Living Planet | 04.07.2008 | 00:30
Germany Brings Solar Energy to Developing Countries
Germany is a world leader in solar energy production and research, despite the general lack of sun. So to get the most out of this technology, the government is looking to export its knowledge to sunnier shores.
With oil and gas prices exploding because of a rising demand, experts are increasingly looking for alternatives to these finite sources of energy. Another concern is of course climate change, exacerbated by the increase in greenhouse gas emissions that come with a rising energy demand.
When it comes to solar energy, for instance, Germany is a world leader in terms of production and research. And that might be surprising to some because Germany’s not exactly what one would call a sunshine state. German companies have now started investing in countries where the sun burns all day long. Many of the hottest countries are also the planet’s poorest.
With this in mind, the German Solar Energy Foundation launched a sustainable development project in Ethiopia to bring solar energy to rural areas and to build the capacity for a self-supporting solar energy industry. An important step towards this goal was the founding of a solar energy school in the mountainous village of Rema in Ethiopia.
Report: Steffen Marquardt
