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For climate and livelihoods, Africa bets big on solar mini-grids
Nigeria is pioneering the development of small, off-grid solar panel installations to bring reliable electricity to remote communities — setting a model for other African countries
Morocco and South Africa are building large-scale solar power installations, while Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are making use of local renewable energy sources like geothermal and hydropower, respectively.The next step is getting communities on board, which can take months. Inside, surrounded by walls plastered with shiny posters of trending hairstyles — including a headshot of popular musician Davido with the tagline “BBC — Big Boyz Cutz” — two young girls sit on a bench near a humming fan, waiting for their heads to be shaved. Over the longer term, demographic shifts may also leave some mini-grids in isolated areas abandoned — as in northern Nigeria, for instance, where banditry and kidnapping are forcing rural populations toward more urban settings.
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