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Solar Powered Computers Planned for Rural India

Posted by samzenpus on from the heliotropic-keyboards dept.

securitas writes "BBC Technology correspondent Ram Dutt Tripathi reports on India's Uttar Pradesh state where authorities plan to use solar energy to power computers in rural village schools. The cost to run the solar panels is anticipated to be £1,000 per school. According to the report, up to 80% of homes have no power and most government-run primary schools have no power at all. In 2003 the Uttar Pradesh state government bought '1,000 computers for selected primary schools in all 70 districts' with another 1000 to be purchased this year, 'but most of these will not work because there is no power available.' The project is similar to a solar-powered school computer lab on the Isle of Wight."

10 of 184 comments (clear)

  1. who would have thought... by calculadoru · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ...that it was going to be a nation as poor as India that would first try to use technology without damaging the environment? I get this nagging feeling some nations should take notice...

    --
    The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it. -- G.B. Shaw
  2. Wonder why 1000 pounds!? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    According to what I know at least 80% of it will be pocketed by corrupt politicians and other 'officials'.
    That is the way things function in India.

    1. Re:Wonder why 1000 pounds!? by melkorainur · · Score: 5, Interesting

      This would likely have been true in the 1990s. But today, with a substantial increase in public education standards, as well as increased cooperation with non-govermental organizations (typically populated by well educated, well meaning young individuals), corruption has been on the decrease. Here's the stats on perceived corruption index. It shows India at 2.8. 10 is squeaky clean. UK, Canada at 8.7. US at 7.5. URL is here InfoPlease I would like to see rate of reduction of corruption. Overall, from talking with acquaintenances it has been on the decrease but clearly there's substantial room for improvement.

  3. Solar Power + wifi by IoN_PuLse · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Sounds like an interesting networking idea =)

  4. I'm afraid I don't understand... by The+Master+Control+P · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They're buying a thousand, and now another thousand computers and showing the teachers how to use them... but most people are fortunate to have enough electric power to run a light bulb at night? Somehow the logic behind that escapes me...

    I mean, I'm all for computers for the poor, but first things first... clean water and electric power.

    1. Re:I'm afraid I don't understand... by melkorainur · · Score: 5, Insightful
      > I mean, I'm all for computers for the poor, but first things first... clean water and electric power.
      If only things were that easy. You have to remember that building infrastructure is extremely capital intensive. You can only do that if you've got a good budget surplus, and that's something that the Indian government does not have because 1) low tax rate 2) poor tax enforcement quality 3) corruption. Further, very few Indian government officials are altruistic enough to care about development of rural areas [although that has changed significantly due to India's last election results]. I should note that corruption is also decreasing thanks to increasing education standards and knowledge amoung the poor. Also thanks to NGOs that work to address the issue. But there is a tonne more work to be done in that area.

      I think the main idea is to drive the demand for infrastructure by all means possible. You give these rural areas a look at computers, an idea of how they can help. You give the teachers in the rural ideas a view of the future. You let them inspire the children and the parents. The next thing you know, the infrastructure demands will increase and slowly but surely it'll get done.

      So yeah, first things first is fair enough. They're just trying a different approach to solve the problem. Drive rural demand up and these folk may just get there. You've got to remember things are not that simple when you don't have a spare billion dollars that you can throw at the problem.

  5. Re:Sounds like the US by dark404 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    yeah because a computer is a resource that only has a few functions, so the schools need to have a specific use in mind before they buy them. I mean it's not like they could buy a bunch of them, and place them in some sort of "Lab" where students could use them when they needed them?

  6. Also in PNG by joeldixon66 · · Score: 5, Informative

    This is a great idea, something similar has been happening in the Paupa New Guinea highlands - link.

    Perhaps they could also harness the power of flies?

  7. Use the flies powered fuel cell by mache · · Score: 4, Funny

    Didn't we just see a robot powered by a fly digesting fuel cell. The heck with solar power. India has plenty of flies. Just power the school's computer lab with flies.

    -- Mache

  8. Donations? by holysin · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Um, am I completely blind or is there no link to donate, or number to call to donate? Yes, I know this is the comerical world and most of us don't care about the rest of the planet. But there's a few of us that do. Hell, I'd donate $20 now, and that makes me wonder how many others would... A lot of people don't want to donate to the christian childrens funds because they tend to push religion down people's throats.