LINK TO SOURCE: https://www.irena.org/newsroom/articles/2021/Jul/How-Solar-Power-is-Reducing-Maternal-Mortality-Rates-in-Zimbabwe

THE MIRACLE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY IS SEEN IN THIS PRIMITIVE MATERNAL CARE HOSPITAL IN RURAL ZIMBABWE. LIKE THE REST OF OF RURAL ZIMBABWE, THIS LITTLE MATERNAL CARE HOSPITAL DOES NOT HAVE ELECTRICITY SO AT NIGHT THE DOCTORS HAVE TO RELY ON CANDLES. OF THE MANY ASPECTS OF POVERTY, BACKWARDNESS, AND THE ABSENCE OF MODERN INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE RURAL AREAS OF ZIMBABWE, IS THE ABSENCE OF ELECTRICAL POWER DISTRIBUTION. THE ODDITY OF THE ABSENCE OF POWER DISTRIBUTION TO THE RURAL AREAS IS THAT ZIMBABWE IS RICH IN HYDRO ELECTRIC POWER WITH THE CITIES AND MAJOR MANUFACTURING AREAS LAVISHLY SUPPLIED WITH ELECTRICITY. HOWEVER, ZIMBABWE HAS NOT FOUND IT NECESSARY TO EXTEND THE POWER DISTRIIBUTION TO THE REMOTE RURAL AREAS. ENTER CLIMATE CHANGE:

A GENEROUS DONOR DONATED A SOLAR ELECTRIC SYSTEM TO THE HOSPITAL. IT GENERATES SOLAR POWERED ELECTRICITY. HOWEVER, SOLAR POWER GENERATES ELECTRICITY ONLY DURING DAYLIGHT AND NOT AT NIGHT. TO DELIVER ELECTRICITY AT NIGHT THEY WOULD NEED SOLAR BATTERY BANKS TO REPLACE THE CANDLES. BUT NO MENTION IS MADE IN THE ARTICLE THAT SUCH BATTERY BANKS WERE PROVIDED.

YET ANOTHER ODDITY OF THE STORY IS THAT THE CLIMATE CHANGE HEROISM OF REPLACING FOSSIL FUELS WITH SOLAR POWER IN THIS STORY IS NOT POSSIBLE. THIS IS BECAUSE IN ZIMBABWE, THE ELECTRICITY GRID IS FED BY HYDRO ELECTRICITY.

THE CONTRADICTIONS IN THIS STORY ARE TWOFOLD. {#1} THAT SOLAR ELECTRICITY REPLACES CANDLES AT NIGHT IS MYSTERIOUS GIVEN THE ABSENCE OF INFORMATION ON BATTERY BANKS. AND {#2} THE RENEWABLE ENERGY HEROISM ASSUMED IN THIS STORY IS UNDONE BY THE FACT THAT WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS RENEWABLE ENERGY PROVIDING POWER IN A NATION WITH A RENEWABLE ENERGY ELECTRICAL GRID (HYDRO).

THE RATIONAL SOLUTION TO THE CANDLE PROBLEM IN REMOTE VILLAGES IS TO EXTEND THE GRID. BUT THE CLIMATE HEROISM SOLUTION TO THE CANDLE PROBLEM IN REMOTE VILLAGES IS TO DONATE SOLAR PANELS THAT DO NOT REPLACE THE CANDLES AT NIGHT.

POSTSCRIPT: RELATED ARTICLE ONLINE: LINK: https://chinadialogue.net/en/energy/the-high-cost-of-zimbabwes-cheap-solar-gear/

<img src="https://cdn.chinadialogue.net/content/uploads/2021/06/17163806/Solar-energy-in-Zimbabwe-China-Dialogue-KB-Mpofu-11_2560px.jpg&quot; alt="Cheap solar panels for sale in downtown Mutare, eastern Zimbabwe (Image: <a href="https://www.kbmpofu.com/">KB Mpofu

WHAT WE FIND IN THIS ARTICLE IS THAT SOLAR IS NOT SOMETHING NEW IN ZIMBABWE BUT THAT THERE ARE PLENTIFUL CHEAP CHINESE SOLAR PANELS AVAIALABLE IN THE MARKETPLACE. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THEY DON’T WORK ALL THAT WELL AND HAVE TO BE DISCARDED SOON WHEN THEY DIE.

IN THEIR WORDS:

The high cost of Zimbabwe’s cheap solar gear
Zimbabweans are buying cheap residential solar installations imported from China that often end up as e-waste before they have generated much power

CONCLUSION: A SOLAR PANEL TO REPLACE CANDLES AT NIGHT DOES NOT SERVE THE NEEDS OF THE HOSPITAL. IT SERVES THE NEEDS OF CLIMATE SCIENCE. THE CLIMATE MOVEMENT IS DESPERATE FOR A HEROISM MOMENT AFTER ITS COP26 DISASTER.

WHERE IS ZIMBABWE?