Delivering developing country growth: A new mechanistic approach driven by the photovoltaic industry

Energy security, climate change and economic crises are currently dominating the attention of the world. It is also well known that access to energy is a crucial and enabling mechanism for development. In particular, the provision of electricity in rural settings has tremendous impact on well being, education and health, especially in poorer regions in the world. In today's climate, we should, therefore, not forget the plight of those less well-off, especially in the near term due to a likely rise in protectionist policies of developed nations. In an effort to bring a balance, we need to be more diligent in our understanding of the needy, by bringing in clear objectives for development coupled with social responsibility that are likely to generate both stability and economic growth globally. Photovoltaics (PV), the conversion of sunlight to electricity, has over many decades been recognised as one of the most flexible technologies that could best benefit people in rural and deprived areas around the world. Unlike the utilisation of PV in buildings which is mainly a response to feed-in tariffs in developed countries, rural electrification offers a unique opportunity as it is less complex when compared to other renewables, but will require high levels of quality control. After the major strides made by the PV industry, it is now time for this now highly developed PV industry not only to call the shots in initiating a new approach of “PV for Development” but also to entice such entities as the G8, the UN, the EU and the World Bank to contribute to a major activity to provide electricity for the poor. This article attempts to convey a new approach to establishing such an activity. The analysis starts by considering a PV industry contribution of “one watt per kWp” manufactured to an industry trust. When combined with double contributions from the G8 countries, this will result in the provision of around 3–10 GWp of PV driven electricity for rural areas by 2020. It could be activated and owned by the PV industry alone resulting from 3.5 GWp by 2020. Receiving global approval by many of the developed countries and international institutions is more than likely to double this figure.