Energy comes at a cost, we all know that. So how do we make energy affordable for those who can't afford it? Obviously we can't give it away, as nice as that would be, and with a growing population, the need for energy will only become greater. Some developing countries, such as Costa Rica, are finding ways to make energy affordable and accessible for all. One way they are doing this is through their abundance of natural resources.
Costa Rica has set a goal that by 2021 they will be carbon neutral. To meet this goal the country invests their money into renewable energy. They are at a 95-99% completion rate with 80% of their renewable energy coming from Hydropower. For Costa Rica, renewable energy is the way to go and this can also work for other developing nations.
Most people shy away from renewable energy due to the pretty big price tag that comes along with it. But what people need to acknowledge are the long term savings and efficiency of having a renewable energy system put in place, be it solar, wind or hydro.
In most areas, solar energy is the most logical renewable-energy option, which averages about 5.5 hours of usable sunlight per day. With the increase of people wanting to be more sustainable, there are increased incentives that go along with renewable energy systems. For example, Pura Vida Energy Systems offers a program called “Poder al Pueblo” (Power to the People), which allows a group of 10 or more to collectively purchase solar electricity by each paying a little more than $4,000 for an individual 900-watt solar system. This program works to make renewable energy more accessible to the general public and rewards the individual who coordinates and recruits the group with their own free solar electric system.
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| The Sky Twister, a home-scale electricty generating wind turbine |
For more information visit: http://www.ticotimes.net/Sustainable-Living/Living-Light-Using-renewable-energy-in-the-home_Friday-July-06-2012
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