Solar energy boom may help world's poorest

[jpak]

http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSL2415836420071031

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Governments from Japan to Germany and the United States are helping the public wean themselves off fossil fuels.

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But there are few handouts in developing nations where it could be argued solar power is more relevant -- in sunnier countries where many people have no electricity at all.

A scientific body which groups academies worldwide -- the InterAcademy Council -- said last week efforts to curb climate change must target vast numbers of people who lack basic energy.

"It's sad that 1.6 billion people live without electricity and two to three billion use energy in a primitive way very damaging to health," said Professor Steven Chu, a Nobel laureate physicist based at the University of California, Berkeley, and co-chair of the report for the Dutch-based body.

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[lvx35]

1. Beautiful. We need to look at clean energy for developing countries as an investment for the world.

As an investment in our own future. As developing countries develop "low energy" lifestyles off of clean energy sources from solar and wind, we can learn from them and let them do the discovery work that will teach us how to live the same way as oil prices continue to rise.

[applegrove]

2. I hope they can do great things with solar power. I hope the costs come

down enough. Those people need hope.