Intasave’s solar Songs are bang on tune for Kenya

A solar power system is being introduced by the global non-profit environmental organisation Intasave Energy to bring clean sustainable electricity to a Kenyan community.

Initially the innovative Solar Nano Grids project, or Songs, will serve only 250 people in the Lemolo B village, but Intasave intends to expand it to reach 500,000 people across Kenya, South Africa and Mozambique within three years.

The eventual aim is clean power for everybody on the planet. Intasave has established a worldwide crowd funding vehicle to finance its campaign.

Songs minimises greenhouse gas emissions by avoiding kerosene for lighting and diesel for power generation. It can help villages to become self-sustaining with power for small industries, including milling corn, incubating chickens for breeding, charging batteries, refrigeration and welding, and for businesses such as hair salons and internet hubs.

Solar power also poses fewer risks than kerosene to the eyes and lungs of children doing homework.

Intasave chose Kenya to start the project because 75% of the population, or 30 million people, lack electricity.

Dr Murray Simpson, an Oxford University visiting fellow and chief executive of Intasave’s parent charity, said: “Our approach is scalable and sustainable and recognises the real world needs and desires of people.

“It’s not a short-term fix or a handout. It’s genuinely empowering people to make their lives better.

“It’s vitally important to us that each installation becomes a self-sustaining beneficial enterprise for the families and the local communities, and this is why our project is going to succeed where other attempts have struggled to deliver.”