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Ethiopia solar

The initiation of a solar trade in Ethiopia, 2005 - 2011

Dr. Harald Schützeichel

Stiftung Solarenergie - Solar Energy Foundation, Germany - Switzerland - Ethiopia

© Stiftung Solarenergie - Solar Energy Foundation 2012 2

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording,

or in any information storage or retrieval system, without the written permission of the publishers.

Copyright © 2012 Stiftung Solarenergie - Solar Energy Foundation, Merzhausen / Zürich / Addis Ababa

Photos: York Ditfurth, Meinrad Schrade, Harald Schützeichel, Samson Tsegaye

Print sponsored by: ISEI. International Solar Energy Institute for Rural Development, Freiburg / Addis Ababa


If we really want to make a difference, we must leave the traditional paths of development aid behind us

and take a new approach.

Social and financial sustainability must go hand in hand.

Introduction

When I travelled to Ethiopia in 2004 for the first time, I did so with an image of African coun-tries in my mind which had been planted in my mind in various ways by the European media. I was convinced that the main hindrance to rural electrification was the rural population's lack of purchasing power. In addition I expected, of course, obstacles on the part of the state bu-reaucracy and possible corruption as well as widespread legal uncertainty. As a conse-quence of these conditions, I presumed that there would be a lack of interest on the part of investors and, of course, insufficient financial resources.

I was surprised by the real facts because the actual pyramid of obstacles stood on its head!

Expected Weighting of Obstacles Factual Weighting of Obstacles

To my surprise I found that the purchasing power of the rural population was not the decisive factor. On the one side it was much higher than expected and on the other it could be effec-tively boosted by intelligent financing schemes. The real problems clearly lie by the state au-thorities and the European investors: Although for different reasons, both generally show little interest in solar energy in areas far from the power supply network and indifference towards its social and economic potential. More on this topic in chapter III.1.

This was not the only surprise. In the last years there have been a few negative surprises, but also many positive ones. The positive ones came mostly at the end and were linked, for the most part, to the rural population: the people's readiness to cooperate, their deep desire


for a reliable and clean source of energy and the joy and thankfulness when the solar system was finally installed and a room, which was previously in darkness, was flooded in light for the first time by a LED lamp.

When we started our work we heard from many experienced development aid workers a lot about the motivation, commitment, reliability and the conscientiousness of the African em-ployees. I cannot claim to speak for all Africans, but I was also very positively surprised in this respect. In the meantime we have just under 80 male and female employees in Ethiopia, for the most part trained solar technicians, who accomplish their arduous, exhausting and energy-sapping work in the Ethiopian countryside. These people, who are usually under 30 years of age, work day after day, motivated by their desire to accomplish something for their country and to eliminate poverty and this deserves our highest respect. This certainly does not correspond with the image of African employees which was presented to me at the out-set. On the contrary: These young technicians, who conscientiously do their work under ex-tremely difficult conditions in remote rural areas and who could have an easier and better-paid job in the capital city, also motivate me personally. They are the reason why we should all support and promote this striving for a better future.

After six years our practical work has successfully laid the foundation stone for a solar trade in Ethiopia. We, and other organizations active in Ethiopia, can now build on this foundation. The time is also ripe to expand and remove the remaining obstacles!

The time is ripe for the Ethiopian authorities

- to eliminate the discrimination against domestic solar products in comparison with foreign ones,

- to abandon their arbitrariness when fixing duties for solar technology,

- to enable the private Ethiopian economy easy access to the financial means of the World Bank and other organizations.

The time is ripe for European investors

- to change their ideas about Africa and founding enterprises in developing countries so that they correspond to the reality,

- to recognise the worldwide possibilities of off-grid solar technology as a solar market which is not dependent on subsidies,

- to accept that financial and social sustainability do not mutually exclude one another.

The time is ripe for us, the Stiftung Solarenergie - Solar Energy Foundation, to com-plement our practical work by means of persistent awareness-raising and lobbying.

The work of the Foundation over the last years - the pilot projects, the foundation of an edu-cational/training facility as well as our own microloan organization and a rural network of So-lar-Centers with professionally trained solar technicians - was possibly the easiest part of the task to date. It is possible that the greatest challenge will be the intensified lobbying and the promotion of public awareness.

Dr. Harald Schützeichel January 2012


Content

I. Approach and objective of the work in Ethiopia ........................................................... 7

1. Solar energy and rural development ................................................................................. 8

2. The new approach of the Stiftung Solarenergie - Solar Energy Foundation ..................... 9

Demands on a rural solar management system oriented towards the long term ............. 11

3. A selection of application possibilities for solar energy .................................................... 17

4. The situation in Ethiopia ................................................................................................... 19

II. Five steps on the way to a solar trade ......................................................................... 21

1. Pilot projects ..................................................................................................................... 23

2. Local production ............................................................................................................... 29

3. Training ............................................................................................................................. 31

4. Microfinancing .................................................................................................................. 35

Three essential experiences ............................................................................................ 37

5. Rural service network ....................................................................................................... 41

6. Figures and Facts: 2005 - 2011 ....................................................................................... 45

III. Obstacles and Recognition - How will our work in Ethiopia continue? ................... 49

1. Obstacles ......................................................................................................................... 50

2. Recognition ...................................................................................................................... 53

3. How will our work in Ethiopia continue? ........................................................................... 55

My thanks ............................................................................................................................. 57

Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................ 61

Imprint / Contact .................................................................................................................... 62


I.

Approach and objective of the work in Ethiopia


1. Solar energy and rural development

a) Energy as the foundation of rural development

An essential pillar for development is reliable access to a source of affordable energy. Today 1.6 billion people worldwide have no access to clean and affordable energy. These people live mostly in developing countries. At the same time, many of the poor and poorest countries are also the sunniest regions on our Earth.

The traditional power sources such as oil, coal or gas are not able to solve the challenge posed by rural electrification because it would be simply too expensive to connect the often isolated villages in Asia and Africa to a centralized electricity grid.

Solar energy does not only provide a sensible solution from a technical point of view. It also has the following decisive advantages:

- It is decentralized.

- It is clean and reliable.

- It is affordable.

Solar energy provides the people with more than just electricity: It provides the rural areas with the opportunity of social development and economic prosperity. The need and demand for solar energy are enormous.

The implementation of solar energy means a fundamental improvement in day-to-day life for the people in rural areas. Furthermore, it signalizes hope and shows the people that, even in the countryside, a development towards better living conditions is possible and that migration to the large towns is therefore not an unavoidable necessity.


b) The greatest obstacle to the development of an off-grid market: lack of interest

The greatest obstacle to rural electrification implementing solar energy is not a lack of pur-chasing power on the part of the rural population. The greatest hindrance, and thus the rea-son for the high number of people who are still without a reliable electricity supply and an op-portunity to develop, is still the widespread indifference shown by the other parties involved:

- The local solar businesses and relief organizations are indifferent towards setting up a long-term solar management system which is oriented towards financial and social sus-tainability. Solar businesses are more concerned about their short-term turnover and re-lief organizations tend to orient themselves towards smaller projects with short-term suc-cess.

- The Ethiopian authorities are not interested in an efficient, target-oriented promotion of the local solar trade.

- European investors show little interest in business-oriented activities in Ethiopia.

The reasons and motives behind this disinterest are as different as the actors themselves and range from lack of information and lack of entrepreneurial courage on the one side to conflicts of competence and worries concerning the maintenance of influence and power on the other: There are, of course, exceptions to the rule in all of these areas: There are some dedicated individuals, but their freedom to act is often limited by time and their authority to make decisions. These exceptions, however, do not perceptibly change the overall impres-sion for the better.

I will go into the disinterest of the authorities in more detail below (chapter III.1). In this re-spect we, as a foundation, feel responsible for bringing about a change in awareness in Ethi-opia and Europe by means of our practical work.

The first point (setting up a socially and financially sustainable rural solar management sys-tem) is mostly concerned with the operational and technical know-how. Without this it would be impossible to provide rural areas on a long-term basis with a reliable supply of solar ener-gy. The elimination of these obstacles is the practical part of our work which we have dedi-cated ourselves to since 2004 following the principles and solutions described below.

2. The new approach of the Stiftung Solarenergie - Solar Energy Foundation

Previous approaches to rural electrification have often not gone beyond isolated projects or the sale of solar torches. This can neither initiate long-term development in the partner coun-try nor give the people in the rural areas the outlook of a long-term development.

In contrast to this, we took a completely different approach right from the start. In those coun-tries in which we are active, we want to initiate far-reaching developments and also accom-pany them:

It is our aim to set up, within the partner country, a self-sufficient solar trade which provides the people in rural areas with a reliable and long-term supply of solar energy and which can contribute towards the economic growth of that country.


Demands on a rural solar management system oriented towards the long term

Listen - put solutions into practice - accompany

The main principle behind our work is to speak with the people in rural regions, find out on-site what their problems are, work out solutions with them and then put these solutions into practice.

We develop relationships from people to people and this is much more than just a customer relationship.

We also believe that solar technology is not the solution, but just a tool or a means to an end. The real task is to apply the tool sensibly in order to promote rural development.

The most important requirement from our staff is therefore the ability to listen, to put solutions into practice and then to accompany the people as they develop further.

We do this either as a relief organization or as a socially-oriented enterprise, but always as help for self-help.

After-sales-service

Most of the solar enterprises and relief organizations have their main offices in the capital city or larger towns. From there, they install or sell solar systems to the people in rural areas in intensive campaigns and then withdraw to their home bases again.

However, the great challenge in terms of rural electrification does not lie in the installation of the solar systems, but in ensuring that they work reliably in the long term. To achieve this it is essential to have a rural network of well-trained solar technicians who have the necessary supply of spare parts and can ensure professional after-sales service.

Our approach: In order to guarantee professional and reliable after-sales service, we create a network of rural service stations (Solar-Centers). These are managed by technicians who were trained by us and are available on a permanent basis.

Professional training in solar technology and management

Prior to 2005 there were hardly any professionally trained solar technicians in Ethiopia. Most training courses lasted only one to two weeks and provided no more than rudimentary knowledge of the subject. It is essential, however, that the solar technicians receive compre-hensive training in the potential and also the limitations of solar technology - in theory as well as in practice.

Our approach: We train solar technicians in our own training centers in the subjects solar technology, customer care and management, both in theory and in practice. Furthermore, in-stead of training the solar technicians in Addis Ababa, we train them far away in a rural area, close to their future customers.

Affordable products with a long life

At present there are hardly any solar home systems worldwide which are robust enough for application in rural areas and which are also affordable. On account of the competition be-tween manufacturers, the tendency worldwide is to manufacture products which are as cheap as possible. Generally speaking though, cheap does not mean durable. In the end cheap products prove to be expensive.

Our approach: We only implement products which, from the point of view of quality and du-rability, are capable of functioning for a long period of time even in the adverse conditions of


the Ethiopian countryside. The aim is not to be cheap, but to make good quality affordable. To this end we make use of our own microfinancing system which makes it possible for even the poorest of people to acquire high-standard solar products. Poor people can simply not af-ford cheap products.

Developing the products to match customer needs

Many solar products are designed in developed countries by engineers who only know the needs and requirements of a life in the countryside in theory. This often results in good prod-ucts which, in the final analysis, fail to meet the actual needs.

Our approach: We develop our solar products on the basis of the practical experience gained during our field work in rural regions. We tried, for a long time, to persuade a manufacturer of solar products to cooperate with us in development work, but to no avail. We therefore de-cided to take both development and production into our own hands.

Solar torches are not enough

Many solar products only concentrate on the obvious primary need for solar energy: replac-ing kerosene lamps. The advantages are apparent: fast tangible results which are easy to measure and relatively cheap to achieve.

The real potential of solar energy, i.e. to achieve sustainable economic and social develop-ment is, however, not being exploited by a long way. On the contrary: If there is no local af-ter-sales service, these entry level products can soon damage the reputation of solar tech-nology.

Our approach: The emphasis of our work from the very beginning has been on the installa-tion of larger solar home systems as well as the provision of solar solutions for refrigerators, radios, ventilators, water pumps, computers, street lights, solutions for small trades and businesses etc.

Projects or development?

Those people who concern themselves with solar energy in developing countries today usu-ally do so on a project basis. These projects are limited, however, because they have a clearly defined end. This is desirable from the point of view of the financial accounting and to provide public proof of a project's success. However, rural development does not have an end. It is a continual process. This is the reason why thinking on a project-oriented basis does not suffice. On the contrary: It demands from businesses and organizations a proce-dure which is linked to the availability of projects and their invitations to tender. The result is a continual stop-and-go.

Our approach: We are striving to make economic and social development possible in rural areas and to initiate them. This is a long-term process which we began as a relief organiza-tion and continued later as a socially-oriented enterprise. Regardless of the legal form, the key characteristic of our work remains the same: it is ultimately a task with open end and not project work.

Job creation

Decentralized solar technology has the advantage of being able to create jobs in many dif-ferent areas: On the one hand there is the technology sector (production, installation, maintenance, after-sales service, training) and management (microfinancing, social man-agement, logistics, sales, training). On the other, solar technology creates, where it is already


One of the most important prerequisites for our work:

To listen attentively before developing solutions.


in existence, numerous solar-related possibilities for generating income. Charging mobile phones by means of solar energy is just one such example.

These jobs are long-term and secure because they are independent of project financing and are embedded in an economic development. It is our aim to create as many jobs of this kind as possible in our partner country.

Local management and personnel

Ethiopian employees fill all posts at all levels in our Ethiopian foundation. Employees from other countries are welcome as advisors, supervisors, coaches or trainers, but only for a clearly defined and limited period of time.

Holistic approach

For various reasons it is common practice in solar development aid to tackle and solve single aspects. Using this approach, however, it will hardly be possible to initiate a long-term and sustainable development, regardless of how successful the small-scale project may be. The real challenge lies in uniting the many individual aspects and developing a holistic approach.

It is not enough to one must also …

sell solar lamps set up a rural network to provide mainte-nance and service.

train solar technicians make start-up capital available so the people can set up their own solar business.

offer good solar products enable the people to purchase them by means of financing possibilities.

replace kerosene lamps consider how the entire demand for energy for households, businesses and communes can be met in a rational way.

install solar systems advise the user how to use the technology sensibly and show them the additional pos-sibilities which it opens up to them.

Our approach: We are creating a network of various organizations so we can take into con-sideration all important aspects related to rural development implementing solar energy and integrate them to achieve the common aim. Each of these organizations is specialised in one particular sector: technology, customer service, financing and training/education. They are all run as "socially-oriented" enterprises, united by the Stiftung Solarenergie - Solar Energy Foundation.

Hybrid network

Neither purely profit-oriented (even if they are socially-oriented), nor purely non-profit organi-zations financed by donations can guarantee complete sustainability. For-profit enterprises cannot ensure social sustainability and non-profit organizations cannot guarantee financial sustainability.


It is not enough to one must also …

realise projects financed by donations be concerned about financial sustainability

set up a solar enterprise be concerned about social sustainability

Our approach: Our network for rural development is a hybrid one which combines the ad-vantage of both forms (for-profit and non-profit) and creates an entity which is both unique and highly effective. The peculiarity: The profit-oriented enterprises are led by the non-profit foundation and not vice versa!

In this way we are able to keep the balance between social and financial sustainability on a long term basis.

Over the last years our efforts to combine a charitable with a profit-making way of thinking have often encountered a lack of understanding. Resistance to the idea is to be found on both sides: relief organizations often think the business sector is fundamentally dangerous. Business-thinking people often disqualify the work of relief organizations as being the finan-cially non-sustainable activities of do-gooders. The wall in the heads of both parties is almost insurmountable.

Nevertheless, this is where the future lies. Both sources of human motivation - the desire to help on the one side and the wish to make a profit on the other - must be linked. And this not only applies to development aid! Isolated from one another, both positions can become dan-gerous if they are pursued to the extreme. The extreme profit-oriented approaches as well as pure "do-goodism" have clearly shown this in the past. The hybrid approach prevents the dangerous one-sidedness behind both of these motives. Nevertheless, it will take time until the old walls in people's head fall.


Gebeyanesh Nadew, Rema, 30 years old (2008)

As everywhere in Africa, the illiteracy rate in Ethiopia is much higher for women (75%) than for men (47%). Gebeyanesh Nadew, chairwoman of the Women's Association in Rema, can also neither read nor write. At the age of seven she was already promised to a man who was 19 years older than her and she gave birth to her first child when she was 15. Two more children followed. Gebeyanesh has lived in Rema for more than 20 years. She used to earn her living by brewing her own beer, but today she sells energy-efficient ovens which are used to make the Ethiopian national dish, injera. It is hard work making those ovens, but Gebeyanesh nevertheless manages to sell around 15 of them every month. In this way she can supplement the modest wage of her husband, Cherenet, who is employed by the village administration.

Gebeyanesh and her family are very happy that their village now profits from solar energy. Since the local school was provided with solar light and evening classes have become possible, Gebeyanesh would like to learn to read and write too. She is ashamed of herself when she has to sign the monthly payment for the solar light with her thumbprint. In future she wants to sign with her own name.

For this reason she went looking for other women who felt as she did.That was not difficult because it is above all the women in Rema who actively grasp at the opportunities for improvement. In the mean-time, however, many men also take advantage of the evening school to learn reading and writing. The Stiftung Solarenergie - Solar Energy Foundation supports this initiative: Within the framework of its own aid programme, the Foundation will carry half of the costs for the teacher for two years.


3. A selection of application possibilities for solar energy

Light (rooms)

The only source of energy in the rural areas of Africa is usually the kerosene lamp which only provides very poor light, but emits a lot of harmful smoke. The lack of light restricts not only the domestic work, but also the educational opportunities for the children, i.e. reading and writing. With the aid of solar energy it is possible to produce light inexpensively and cleanly, promoting education as well as economic development. At the same time, diseases of the respiratory system are also reduced.

Light (roads)

Due to the early nightfall (around 6.30 p.m.), social life and social exchange within a village community is extremely restricted. Furthermore, going out at night can be dangerous. For this reason there are only a few people abroad in the evening and their path is only sparsely illuminated by battery-operated torches. Solar street lights offer safety and enable a more varied communal life in the evening too.

Medicine refrigeration

In the rural health clinics of Africa medicines are usually kept cool in diesel-operated refriger-ators. In comparison with these, solar refrigerators have decisive advantages: Operating reli-ability is considerably higher because there is no dependence upon fuel transportation and, in addition, operating costs are much lower. Furthermore, the medical personnel are also able to work in the evening and at night by the light of solar lamps.

Education (computers)

Training people to use computers is certainly not the primary educational objective in rural schools. However, teaching computer skills in secondary schools can greatly improve the pupils' occupational opportunities when they leave school because many administrative, healthcare or business occupations require at least elementary computer skills. Solar com-puters can not only help pupils, but also teachers (preparing lessons etc.).

Water pumps

Water is needed on the one hand for domestic purposes and on the other for irrigating the fields to ensure an adequate harvest. Solar energy provides an inexpensive and reliable so-lution to ensure the supply of indispensable water.

Water disinfection

The people in Africa frequently do not have water at their disposal which is suitable for drink-ing purposes. This promotes the spread of illnesses which, on account of the sparse healthcare services, either cannot be treated or only with a great deal of difficulty. Solar en-ergy combined with suitable water disinfection plants can solve this problem and ensure a re-liable as well as a clean supply of drinking water.


Rural health clinics

The health clinics in the rural areas are the primary source of medical care and serve on average 25,000 people. These clinics are usually equipped with refrigerators which operate on kerosene (kero-sene). This fuel is expensive and can only be transported to remote areas under difficult conditions. If weather conditions are bad, the supply chain is interrupted.

In order to guarantee that refrigeration is independent from any external factors (e.g. the weather), several clinics have been equipped with solar-powered refrigerators. In this way, operating reliability could be increased and, at the same time, operating costs reduced.

Solar light is installed in each clinic together with the refrigerator, thus making medical treatment in the evening hours possible for the first time. The midwives, above all, appreciate the light when a preg-nant woman comes in the evening to give birth.

In addition to this, the extremely bright LED lamps of the solar home system ST10 are used in con-junction with microscopes to illuminate microscope slides. In this way it has been possible to detect, amongst others, the malaria and tuberculosis pathogen in many health clinics for the first time. On ac-count of the faster method of detection it is possible to examine 20 patients a day instead of just four.


4. The situation in Ethiopia

Access to energy in the rural regions of Ethiopia

The electricity supply in Ethiopia is extremely antiquated. With an electricity consumption of 37 kWh per capita per year Ethiopia has one of the lowest consumption rates worldwide. On-ly approximately 15% of the population have access to the power grid. In the countryside, where around 85% of the 90 million inhabitants live, this figure falls to only 1%. Approximate-ly 50% of the electricity is consumed in the capital, Addis Ababa, and 20% in Nazareth, the second largest town.

On account of the proximity to the equator the sun goes down at about 6.30 p.m. and from the early evening on some form of lighting is required. As a rule this is provided by kerosene lamps. Approximately 40 litres of kerosene per lamp are burnt annually, producing around 80 kg of CO2. A kerosene lamp, however, only produces poor light and causes not only eye damage, but also emits harmful soot and odours.

Another source of power are dry cells which are used to operate radios and cassette record-ers. When the batteries are flat they are simply thrown away because there is no recycling system. Many roads in Ethiopian villages are full of old batteries which are frequently cut open by children simply out of curiosity.

Solar energy in Ethiopia

At the beginning of our work the possibilities which solar energy offers were virtually un-known in Ethiopia. The public authorities hardly took - and hardly take - solar energy serious-ly.

Relief organizations as well as local engineers and electrical engineers who work in the country mostly use diesel generators to produce electricity, usually for reasons of simplicity. This technology has two big disadvantages: It is often unreliable and in remote areas the provision of fuel is difficult. Nevertheless, spare parts and experienced technicians are rela-tively easy to find (though time-consuming). A great disadvantage of diesel technology, of course, is the fact that large parts of Ethiopia are so remote that it will hardly ever be possible to provide them with electricity from this source.

When the Stiftung Solarenergie began its work, the use of solar energy was restricted to only a few pilot projects. The solar systems installed during these projects often did not last long because there was a lack of maintenance and service possibilities in the countryside.


The consequence: Solar systems which do not function any more or only inadequately have given the rural population over the years the impression that solar technology is not only ex-pensive, but also unreliable.

The prevailing economic conditions at the beginning of our work in 2005 were extremely bad for an Ethiopian solar trade: high customs duties, legal uncertainty, a lack of financing possi-bilities and in general little interest on the part of the Ethiopian authorities in this technology. These were not the only obstacles obstructing a reliable rural energy supply. There was also the problem of logistics, maintenance, on-site customer service and the lack of microloans for the people in the countryside.

On account of all these difficulties there was practically no trade in solar products in Ethiopia at that time. On the other hand, Ethiopia was just the right country for the Stiftung Solarener-gie and its approach of wanting, as a charitable foundation, to initiate a local solar trade.

Comparison of Germany, Switzerland and Ethiopia*

Ethiopia Germany Switzerland

Surface area (km2) 1,104,300 357,022 41,277

Population 90,873,739 81,471,834 7,639,961

Population per km2 82 228 185

Urbanization (%) 17 74 74

Average age 16.8 44.9 41.7

Population growth (%) 3.19 -0.02 0.21

Life expectancy of men (years) 53.64 77.82 78.24

Life expectancy of women (years) 58.81 82.44 84.05

Doctors per 1,000 inhabitants 0.02 3.53 4.07

Daily food intake (cal) per inhabitant 1,880 3,620 3,460

Literacy (%) (Population over 15 years of age) 57.3 100.0 100.0

Gross domestic product – GDP (billion $) 86 2,940 324

GDP - real growth rate (%) 8.0 3.5 2.6

Inflation rate (%) 8.1 1.1 0.7

Electricity consumption (billion KWh) 3.4 544.5 57.5

Electricity consumption (KWh) per inhabitant 37 6,683 7,526

Oil consumption (barrels per day) 47,000 2,495,000 242,700

Oil consumption (barrels per year per inhabitant) 0.19 11.17 11.59

Railway lines (km) 681 41,981 4,876

Paved roads (km) 6,980 644,480 71,454

Automobiles 69,000 47,230,000 3,954,000

Mobile telephones (2010) 6,517,000 107,000,000 9,475,000

Internet users (2009) 447,000 65,125,000 6,152,000 * Source: CIA – The World Factbook / The world in figures (2006-2010)


II.

Five steps on the way to a solar trade


Five steps on the way to a solar trade

Initiating a solar trade in Ethiopia is a complex and lengthy process in which all the important elements have to be exactly coordinated.

We decided on a process with a total of five steps and elements.

At the start of the whole work and at the beginning of each step there are pilot projects fi-nanced with donations. As soon as sufficient experience has been gathered and the appro-priate management and organizational structure has been set up, the internal organizational unit becomes an independent enterprise which nevertheless remains closely linked to the Stiftung Solarenergie.

Our work began in Ethiopia in 2005 with our first pilot project.

Today we can say that we have laid down the foundations in all areas for a solar trade and that the course we decided to take has proved to be successful.

What we still have to do is, above all, increased lobbying work and raising awareness amongst Ethiopian government departments and European investors.


1. Pilot projects

The purpose of the first pilot projects of the Stiftung Solarenergie was to show that it was possible, with the aid of solar energy, to provide not just individual huts, but also whole set-tlements with a reliable supply of solar electricity on a long-term basis. In addition to technical and logistical tasks there were, above all, challenges in the operations management sector. The installation of the solar home systems was the easier part of the project. The real work begins after the installation: Developing and implementing a technical, financial and socio-cultural operations management system which guarantees the long-term operation of the so-lar home systems.

This is one of the many points where the work of the Stiftung Solarenergie differed from that of many other aid organizations from the very start: Whilst other aid organizations usually leave the project area again after the installation work is over and leave the users to their own devices, we remain permanently on-site and ensure long-term operation.

This behaviour, which deviates from that of other relief organizations, often surprised the ru-ral population. As a result, the Stiftung Solarenergie rapidly gained the reputation of not be-ing a "normal NGO".

Region of the first pilot projects: Mida, approx. 280 km north of Addis Ababa

Region Midda

Region Mida


Demands on solar technology

- Possibility of connecting up to four lamps; at least 4 hours of light a day, even in the rainy season.

- Optional connection for a radio/cassette recorder

- Long service life, nearly maintenance-free operation

- Decentralized solar home systems because they are easier to install, have lower operat-ing costs and are flexible, i.e. can be extended by simply adding modules.

Installed technology

The components of our own solar home systems designed for the pilot projects:

- Robust box as protection for the battery

- Maintenance-free gel battery, efficient solar module

- Intelligent charge controller with prepayment function to support the financial operations management

- 1st project: CFL lamps; 2nd project: energy-saving LED lamps as light source

- Assembly of the solar systems largely on-site

Financial operations management

The Stiftung Solarenergie provides the solar systems. The people use these systems and then pay for the solar electricity instead of kerosene. A sophisticated monthly payment sys-tem is worked out together with each village community to this purpose. The money which is collected is used for maintaining and operating the solar systems. The maintenance is done by local technicians who were trained by us during the installation phase.

If a household fails to make the monthly payment, the solar home system can easily be switched off due to the intelligent charge controller.

Socio-cultural operations management

- Oriented towards the real needs of the inhabitants. These are established in advance in intensive discussions before a technical solution is chosen.

- Active participation of the users during the planning and realisation stages.

- Detailed information and training of the population in the correct use of solar technology.

- Contact people on-site who can help directly should problems arise.

- Permanent exchange with families and the village community about experiences made when using the solar systems and possibilities for improvements.

- Accompanying the inhabitants when new ideas and activities are being developed (even-ing school for adults, computer courses in the school, street lighting etc. etc.).

Technical operations management

- Technical maintenance and service are provided on-site by trained personnel.

- The necessary spare parts are kept available at all times.


Fatuma, Rema, 12 years old (2007)

Fatuma attends the fifth class of the local school in Rema. She is twelve years old and is the third of five children in the Gesaw family. The family of seven lives together in one hut with three rooms. The living room also serves as a bedroom for part of the family. The father's business is nearby, directly beside the main road to Rema. Fatuma's father, Mohamad (35), deals in teff, a very old cultivated strain of Ethiopian grain which is the basis for the Ethiopian national dish known as "injera". Whether the business runs well and the family has enough to eat depends on whether the rainy season punc-tually begins and lasts long enough. In those years when Ethiopia suffered from the great famine, the Gesaw family went hungry too. In the last years, however, the conditions have been good and the family has always had enough to eat.

If you ask Fatuma what she would like to become when she is older, her eyes light up. Her dream is to become a doctor and to help the people in the countryside. Doctors are seldom in Ethiopia and the best of them would rather work in the town than face a hard life in the countryside.

At a time when there was still no solar light, Fatuma did her homework almost always in the dark be-cause she had to work in the fields during the day. "Now that we have solar energy Fatuma has suffi-cient light to read, write and learn", says Fatuma's mother happily. Fatuma hardly knows what leisure time is, but sometimes she plays with her brothers, sisters and friends or listens to music from an old cassette recorder which is now also connected up to the solar system. Most of the time, however, she must help her parents or she reads and learns. Fatuma knows, "I still have a long way to go if I want to become a doctor and I will only succeed if I work hard." That means for her that she must finish school with very good final examination results. Although a child from a poor background, she would then al-so have a realistic chance of fulfilling her dream.


1st pilot village: Kechemober

At the end of 2004, the village of Meranya was provided with an on-grid power supply by means of a diesel generator which was supposed to produce electricity for about four hours a day. The hamlet of Kechemober lies slightly apart and could therefore not be connected up to the grid. In order to give the hamlet a chance to develop like the main village too, it was decided to install solar panels there. One such system was installed per hut.

Size of village: 29 households, 1 school

First installation: 2005

Project partner on-site: The foundation "Menschen für Menschen"

2nd pilot village: Rema

It was planned that the regional center Rema should be given a donation of a diesel genera-tor by a relief organization in autumn 2005 to produce electricity for huts, schools, workshops and the health clinic.

However, the inhabitants of Rema refused to accept this gift. The reason? In many villages in Ethiopia the diesel generator only runs for a short time because the inhabitants are unable to cover the continually increasing costs for diesel fuel.

After a tour around the hamlet of Kechemober (1st pilot village), the inhabitants of Rema de-cided in favour of the installation of solar panels instead. The most convincing arguments were the freedom from the long-term dependency on diesel purchases on the one side, and the decentralized power supply on the other.

Inhabitants Approx. 6,000 in around 1,100 huts Economic structure High prevalence of workshops and small-scale businesses (tai-

lor's workshops, grain dealers, shops, inns, butcher's etc.) Public facilities Primary school with 50 teachers and around 1,800 pupils Health clinic with several beds for stationary treatment Police and communal administration building Churches and mosques First installation: 2006/2007 Number: 1,100 solar home systems Later installations: 1,100 (up to 2011) Total number: 2,200 Project partner on-site: The foundation "Menschen für Menschen"

The electrification of a village of this size poses considerable logistical, organizational and fi-nancial challenges. Similar to the first pilot village, the focus of attention during the prepara-tions was on the way in which long-term operation could be ensured after the installation work was over. In addition to the technical maintenance work, it had to be resolved what ap-propriate measures should be taken in the event of people moving into or out of the village or if the people wanted to change the number of installed lamps.

Procedure

The details concerning the cooperation between the Stiftung Solarenergie and the village of Rema were laid down in a framework contract with the village administration in October 2006.

After that, at several meetings, the inhabitants were informed in detail about the offer to in-stall the solar systems as well as the terms and payment conditions.


The monthly payment is divided up into a standing charge, which covers the costs for regular maintenance work, and a fee, which is dependent on the number of LED lamps being used. The fee is at the disposal of the communal administration and can be used during the coming years for new procurements (batteries, LEDs etc.).

Installation

The installation of the 1,100 solar systems was carried out by Ethiopian solar technicians un-der the direction of Daniel Sutter, the engineer who was responsible at that time. A total of three groups were busy installing the systems. After each system was installed, a quality check and acceptance test was carried out by our solar inspector, Mena Hailemichael.

At the end of the installation each family was given its own user manual in which the num-bers of the solar modules and solar boxes were registered. All repairs as well as all electricity payments are also recorded in this book.

Assembly of the systems: on-site

All of the solar systems were assembled on-site in the region of Mida by Ethiopian employ-ees. To this purpose several containers were set up as workplaces on the premises of our cooperation partner, "Menschen für Menschen".

Reaction

The reaction of the inhabitants of Rema to their solar light was sometimes heart-rending. For Europeans it is impossible to comprehend to what extent a few small LED lights can change a person's life. For the inhabitants of Rema, however, it meant a decisive improvement. After the sun had gone down, it was possible to continue working, studying or communicating with one another without serious hindrance for the first time.

Light means a fundamental improvement in day-to-day life. It is also a sign of hope that, even in these remote rural areas, development towards better living conditions is possible and that an exodus to the towns is not imperative.

Today, six years after the first systems were installed, the situation in Rema has changed in many respects. School education and the general standard of health has improved and, on account of the street lights and numerous possibilities to meet, communal life in the evening is much more lively. A solar water disinfection plant ensures clean water which is pumped in-to the village amongst others by a solar pump. Numerous new businesses and small-sized trades have come into existence. Evening schools were set up not only for children, but also for adults. Computers provide both pupils and teachers with the motivation and the oppor-tunity to educate themselves further.

We need:

Donors to finance our non-profit aid projects for health clinics (solar refrigeration of medicine), schools and children (Light for Education).


2. Local production

One of the aims of the Stiftung Solarenergie is to bring as much value-added into the partner country as possible. This idea soon led to the consideration whether and to what extent we could have the solar systems we needed made in Ethiopia.

Setting up local production is also important in order to facilitate rapid and reliable mainte-nance work and service.

Setting up the local production of solar systems is, of course, a long process with many dif-ferent challenges. We have already made the first steps in this direction:

Before we continue on this path, we must distinguish between challenges and obstacles:

Challenges

The challenges concern the entire management involved in setting up a production company: They range from the technology, logistics, financing to the trained personnel and quality con-trol. In this respect, the Stiftung Solarenergie, with its knowledge of Ethiopia and its person-nel there on the one side and its partnerships worldwide (producers, investors) on the other hand, can offer professional solutions.

The bottleneck: Lack of interest on the part of Ethiopian government authorities

The greatest obstacle to setting up an Ethiopian solar trade is still proving to be the unattrac-tive prevailing legal conditions surrounding economic investments in Ethiopia. Even after years of discussion and a continual process of opinion shaping, the Ethiopian government departments are still not prepared to promote the establishment of a domestic solar industry by offering attractive and practicable legal provisions. On the contrary: The customs and tax regulations discriminate against domestic production and support imports of goods produced


abroad. In addition, there is still considerable legal uncertainty when implementing the statu-tory regulations.

The Foundation can only influence the Ethiopian authorities' decisions to improve the frame-work conditions indirectly by means of systematic and constant lobbying in Ethiopia. Never-theless, the target - the creation of an Ethiopian solar economy - is too important to let it fall victim to the currently prevailing legal obstacles.

In the coming years it will be the task of the Stiftung Solarenergie, together with like-minded people, to try to convince the Ethiopian government even more than before of the signifi-cance and importance of a national solar industry and to insist on fair market conditions.

Assembly of the solar systems in Ethiopia by employees of the Stiftung Solarenergie


3. Training

Trained specialists are necessary in Ethiopia in order to be able to install and maintain solar systems. Knowledge of this modern and environmentally-friendly technology is a decisive prerequisite if it is to be implemented in a professional manner. For this reason the Stiftung Solarenergie founded the "International Solar Energy School" in autumn 2007.

The "International Solar Energy School" is the first professional solar training facility in East Africa. The curriculum is oriented primarily towards a vocational training for tradespeople. The students spend large parts of their studies in the Solar-Center of the Stiftung Solarener-gie in Rema. There, on-site, they can experience directly the practical application of solar energy and practise it themselves.

The main course is the "Rural Solar Energy Technician" course:

Aim The participants learn how to plan and realise solar rural electrification projects on their own and how to keep them running on a long-term ba-sis.

Requirements - Successfully completed professional education as an engineer, electri-cal engineer, electronics technician, mechanical engineer or the like.

- Computer and English proficiency

Structure 6 weeks studying solar technology (theory) 6 weeks studying management 3 months of practical participation in the projects of the Stiftung So-larenergie

Duration 6 months

In the meantime a total of 64 Ethiopian technicians have successfully completed this course of studies. In addition, the "Rural Solar Energy Technician" course is in the last phase of ac-creditation by the Ethiopian Ministry of Education. It will then be the standard requirement for the training of solar craftsmen throughout Ethiopia.


2673

190

332

429

050

100150200250300350400450500

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

In addition to this, regular further training courses have been taking place since 2007 for - people with responsible positions in public administration - lecturers at Ethiopian universities - Ethiopian microfinance organizations

Publications by the ISES:

SunConnect Rural electrification with photovoltaics

Magazine about rural electrification Training manual for solar technicians implementing solar energy (engl.) (engl.)

Published 3 times per year 178 pages, ISBN 978-3-033-01926-3 Subscription free (as pdf) 28.00 Euro

A part of the "International Solar Energy School" is furthermore the foundation of a test cen-ter for solar technology with the aid of the company Q-Cells SE (D). The test center can be used by all organizations in Ethiopia.

Participicants of ISES courses 2007-2011(cumulated)


2011: The ISES becomes the ISEI

On account of the great demand for professional training, the concept was extended and in 2011 an institute was founded with a wider range of tasks: the ISEI - International Solar En-ergy Institute for Rural Development.

The tasks of the ISEI:

The organizational headquarters of the ISEI is in Germany whereas the training and test cen-ter are in Ethiopia. The ISEI gives many organizations in Africa and Asia the opportunity of profiting from the Stiftung Solarenergie to the benefit of their own solar projects.

Further information at: www.isei.org.

We need:

Support in setting up the ISEI training and test center in Kenya and on the Philip-pines (technical equipment, financing).

Sponsors who are prepared to financially support the training of African students so that they can become solar technicians.


Training of solar technicians


4. Microfinancing

Revolving Fund

Not all Ethiopian families are in a position to pay for a solar system in cash. On the other hand, every household has monthly costs for kerosene and batteries. Furthermore, the kero-sene lamp does not provide an effective light, but only a flickering flame which casts light within a radius of 15-20 cm. The motivation to purchase a solar system is therefore high.

With these facts in mind, the Stiftung Solarenergie developed the Revolving Fund. The Re-volving Fund is a sustainable financing model which offers those people, who are not part of our pilot projects, the possibility of financing a solar system. The principle is simple: Whoever wants to take advantage of solar energy receives a solar system. The money which was pre-viously spent on the monthly energy needs is now used to pay back the acquisition cost in instalments. Over a period of several years the money flows back into the Revolving Fund and is then available again to finance the next solar systems.

Maintenance and service are free of charge in the first years. After that it is possible to con-clude a maintenance contract with the local Solar-Center for a fee. In this way, our projects also serve as measures which sustain the solar trade on-site.

The Revolving Fund resulted in new challenges for us:

First of all, the Ethiopian authorities had to be convinced that a relief organization, in the in-terest of the rural population, not only makes donations, but can also collect money. This mind-changing process on the part of the Ethiopian authorities took more than a year, but eventually the Revolving Fund was authorized.

The people in the rural areas had to go through a similar process: Because we are a founda-tion it was expected at first that we would hand over our solar products free of charge. After all, this was the usual procedure for a relief organization. A relief organization that had to be paid was something new and unusual. Here the mind-changing process was shorter, but nevertheless took several months.

At the same time a professional internal financial department had to be set up to process the microfinance payments. Over the years the Foundation had already gathered a lot of experi-ence and knowledge from its pilot projects, but it had no professional internal structures to deal with money lending and no software for a management information system. Our partner, Arc Finance (New York), a recognised microloan expert, helped us set up this internal loan department.


The Revolving Fund has been in existence since 2009 and has provided a total of 7 million ETB / 320,000 Euro / 400,000 CHF in funding. There has been a 100% repayment rate.

2011: The Revolving Fund becomes the Rural Solar Micro Finance Institute (RSMFI)

As a pilot project for solar microfinancing the Revolving Fund was very successful. We were able to demonstrate that the propagation of solar energy in rural areas could be effectively supported in the long term with the aid of solar microloans.

The fundamental principle of our work as a foundation is, however, to pass on the work to a profit-making, socially-oriented enterprise at the end of a successful charitable start.

Furthermore, the Revolving Fund has some restrictions which are dependent on the statutory provisions for relief organizations laid down by the Ethiopian government:

- Product pricing is inflexible because it must be authorized by the Ethiopian authorities for years in advance. It is therefore impossible to contain exchange rate fluctuations.

- As a relief organization we are unable to convert the money we have received from cus-tomers in hard currency and to use this in order to buy new products.

These restrictions can be resolved by turning the Revolving Fund into a state recognised mi-croloan organization.

For this reason, an application for the authorization of the "Rural Solar Micro Finance Insti-tute (RSMFI)" was submitted after intensive discussions with the Ethiopian authorities in No-vember 2011. The authorization is expected to go through in January 2012.

The bottleneck: Lack of interest on the part of European investors

The people in rural areas are definitely in a position to acquire solar products, with or without the aid of a microloan, and therefore the purchasing power of the customers is no decisive obstacle preventing the development of a solar trade. However, advance financing is defi-nitely proving to be a bottleneck. There is a lack of financial means for the following:

- For the production of solar products (financing from the production to the sale)

- For the necessary microloans to the people in rural areas.

The greatest stumbling block to sufficient funding is without a doubt the lack of interest on the part of foreign investors and relief organizations in supporting the rural population by provid-ing them with a sure and constant supply of solar products.

Where are those investors and donors who want to invest in a sound and comparatively safe industry - the solar industry supplying rural areas in developing countries? Whereas investors are pumping enormous sums of money into the highly subsidized sector of grid-coupled pho-tovoltaics in developing countries, the much safer market of rural electrification, which does not require subsidies, still remains to be discovered. European investors still have no interest in sound investments in new markets. They prefer to invest their money in those places where everyone else does. This is the sobering conclusion which we have had to come to.


Three essential experiences

1. Statistics which are far from reality

In Europe the widespread and recognised method of establishing whether and to what extent people in rural areas are able to purchase solar products is the comparison with the existing costs for kerosene. This method satisfies European project planners, controllers and inves-tors, but it has one great disadvantage: It is unsuitable. At this point we can ignore whether the established figures are actually correct. Much more important is the fact that this method does not take into consideration the most decisive element for the development and evalua-tion of a market: The presence of a need and the motivation to buy which results from this need.

A comparison with another product might help to make this clearer. If we look at the statistics to find out how much money the people in rural areas spend on traditional methods of trans-mitting news (post or word of mouth), you would hardly say they have enough capital for pur-chasing and using a mobile phone. Conversely, this should mean that there is no market for mobile phones.

The fact is, however, that today in even the remotest corners of Africa a mobile phone will be bought as soon as the signal is strong enough. On the other hand, the statistics "prove" that the people there cannot possibly afford to buy one!

The objection that this comparison is not valid because the alternatives (the post or word of mouth) are no alternatives to the mobile phone is not correct. The alternative to solar light - the kerosene lamp - is also no real alternative because instead of offering an effective light it produces just smoke and illnesses. From the point of view of need and the resulting motiva-tion to purchase, solar technology has the same power of persuasion as the mobile phone in comparison to the post.

This means that statistics concerning expenditure on kerosene and batteries in rural areas may provide us with some interesting data, but they are irrelevant when determining whether there is a market for solar products or not. The answer to this question is to be found else-where.

In developed countries a need for many products has to be suggested by advertising. In the case of solar technology it is the complete opposite: There is no need for advertising be-cause the need - and the purchasing power - are already there.

But where does the money, the purchasing power to buy solar products, come from? The possibilities are as varied as the people themselves: It may come from simply saving, from efforts to find additional sources of income or the numerous possibilities of redeploying one's own personal financial budget.

A prerequisite is, however, that the required solar product is available for purchase. Here are two examples from our practical experience in Ethiopia.


Example 1

When farmers have brought in the harvest and sold it on the market, they have a large sum of money in their pockets. As there are no products which one could acquire locally, the money is frequently used in the following way: The money needed for daily life until the next harvest is put to one side. The men go into the next biggest town and squander the rest or buy what they consider to be useful and happens to be available. The possi-bility we created to purchase solar products with the harvest money fundamentally changed the consumer behaviour of these farmers. Instead of using the money for pleasure, it was invested in solar light, solar televisions , solar refrigerators and other so-lar-powered products. Smaller products were paid for in cash and larger objects ac-quired by taking advantage of the Foundation's financing facilities. According to the sta-tistics, however, this should not have been possible.

Example 2

A tailor living in one of the villages we assist had a great wish. He wanted to be able to replace his dilapidated hut with a more stable one made of mud one day. The solar light enabled him not only to work longer, but, above all, more efficiently because in the even-ing it was less hot and he could concentrate better. On account of his higher income he lives today in a new sturdy mud hut. His next wish is to buy a small solar refrigerator to keep his food fresh in.

In this context it is important to recognise that the people in rural areas are not only in a posi-tion to pay for solar products, but are also willing to. The reason is a motivation which is typi-cal for markets worldwide: The feeling that it is necessary to own a product because it would change one's life for the better.

The advantages of solar light compared with the kerosene lamp are as great as those of the mobile phone in comparison with word of mouth communication. Accordingly, as soon as so-lar light becomes available, the need for the product sparks the effort to own it.

The time has come for us in Europe to readjust our images of the rural regions of Africa and the people who live there so that they correspond with reality.

2. Microfinancing and technical service in one hand

One important result of our pilot projects was the recognition that technical service and mi-crofinancing should be in one hand. This corresponds with the experiences made in other countries too where it has become clear that the separation of the two results in more prob-lems than advantages. Enterprises with their headquarters in the town have already made their greatest profit with the sale and installation of the solar systems. It will therefore not be easy to motivate them to provide fast maintenance service. In the event of a technical defect, however, the customer stops paying the instalments and the microloan enterprise gets into difficulties.

The combination of technical service and financing in one organization has several ad-vantages:

- The customer has one single point of contact for the installation, financing and mainte-nance.


- The technician knows that his monthly wage - and that of his colleague in the financing department - is dependent on the satisfaction of the customer.

- The responsibilities are clear and there is no attempt to mutually play off financing and service enterprise one against the other. The contact people are always the same.

It is important, of course, that the technicians have more than just technical knowledge. At the same time, the microfinancing (in the same way as training, quality control and produc-tion) should be done by a separate department within the organization which is staffed by specially trained people.

It is important, however, that technical services and financing are kept together.

In this way we have achieved a 100% repayment rate for the microloans.

3. Intelligent solar technology to support the microfinancing

An important question in terms of loans is how one can increase the borrowers' motivation to pay back the instalments punctually. In addition to the normal procedures used when allocat-ing loans (specific criteria for granting loans, categories of people, guarantors etc.), we found it very useful if the punctual payment is supported by an intelligent charge controller in the in-stalled solar system.

In plain text this means that the charge controller, integrated in the solar systems we imple-ment, automatically switches off the supply of electricity if a new operating period is not initi-ated by means of an RFID card, the entry of a code or a key.

The system is designed in such a way that the battery remains charged, but the output is blocked. In the event of non-payment, the household concerned has no light, but it is not necessary to send a technician in order to disable the system. In our experience this is a ex-cellent motivation to pay the next instalment.

After a number of tests using different techniques we eventually decided to integrate an intel-ligent charge controller which uses a code system in the new products. This can not only be used for instalment payments per mobile phone (widespread above all in Asia), but also for payments in cash.

We need:

Capital for our microfinancing (donations, loans, equity).

Capital for the production of intelligent solar technology (loans, equity).


Bonja Belachew, Rema (2009)

Bonja Belachew is physically disabled. For many years he has sold the kerosene, which was needed for the small kerosene lamps which used to be so common here, on Rema's market. His business has clearly suffered since solar systems were installed here. Only the huts in the surrounding countryside still need kerosene. The inhabitants of Rema are no longer his customers. When we asked him whether he was sad about this development, he did not understand us at first. "No, no", he then re-plied, "I share the inhabitants happiness about this leap forward which Rema has made."

With his sales of kerosene he used to earn 45 birr a week. The work involved was enormous because he had to purchase 20 litres of kerosene at a far away market each Saturday. This was an enormous feat for a seriously handicapped person

The Stiftung Solarenergie provided Bonja Belachew with a special solar device which charges mobile telephones to ensure that solar energy would not prove a disadvantage for him. With this device he can charge up to three telephones simultaneously. Bonja Belachew now charges eight or more tele-phones a day for 2 birr each. "I earn more now than I did before", says Bonja Belachew happily. "I would never want to go back to my old job!"


5. Rural service network

It is important to set up an efficient marketing and maintenance/servicing network in order to create a sustainable solar trade.

In 2009, on the basis of experience gathered during the pilot projects, the Stiftung Solarener-gie started to set up a network of Solar-Centers in different rural areas throughout Ethiopia. The Solar-Centers fulfil the following tasks:

- Giving advice about the implementation of solar technology.

- Installing solar systems.

- Technical operations management: Guaranteeing maintenance and service, carrying out repair work.

- Financial operations management: Collecting the monthly fees (microfinancing, mainte-nance).

Left: Map of the Solar-Centers in Ethiopia.

Each of the Solar-Centers employs several of the Foundation's solar technicians who are responsible for the solar custom-ers in the sur-rounding villages.

There are currently 14 Solar-Centers responsible for the households in a to-tal of 83 villages.


The technicians stationed in the Solar-Centers have all received intensive training lasting more than 6 months. The training was carried out by the Foundation's International Solar En-ergy School in the solar village of Rema.

2012: The Foundation's network of Solar-Centers is to be expanded by means of a franchise system

From 2012 a number of independent Solar-Centers will be set up on the basis of a franchise system. The franchisees will be trained and introduced to their work in several steps:

The Solar-Centers of the new franchise network are independent small-scale Ethiopian busi-nesses which are linked by contract to the Stiftung Solarenergie or the Ethiopian partner en-terprise SunTransfer PLC. This cooperation gives the businesses the opportunity to take ad-vantage of all the resources of the rural electrification network:

- Participating in training and further education measures (ISEI)

- Implementing the products tested in Ethiopia (SunTransfer)

- Support with logistics and financing (RSMFI)

- Realization of local pilot projects (Stiftung Solarenergie)

In order to expand the franchise network we need:

Sponsors to back the training of young African technicians.

Donors and investors to enable the business start-up of the franchise partners.

Solar Valley, Addis Ababa

The head office of the franchise system, as well as that of the entire network for rural devel-opment, is Solar Valley in the vicinity of Addis Ababa: The premises comprise approximately 15,000 sq m in an industrial estate. The first facilities were officially opened in November in the presence of the Ethiopian Minister of Energy, the German Embassy as well as repre-sentatives of various energy agencies. These include rooms and facilities for training, re-search and development, quality assurance, assembly and storage as well as microfinance and administration. A solar power station was built on one of the buildings to meet our own energy requirements, a project which was supported by the Deutsche Energieagentur (Ger-man Energy Agency).


Daily work in rural Solar-Center


6. Figures and Facts: 2005 - 2011

15,248 Total number of installed solar systems (cumulated):

15.248

10.117

1.13658636

5.076

2.136

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

14 Solar-Centers in rural regions

83 Villages permanently supported by Solar-Centers

35 Rural health clinics with solar refrigerators for cooling medicine

154 Rural village schools with solar light

105 New solar jobs created

940,000 People who have profited from the installed solar systems since 2005

2 Training and educational centers (classrooms and accommodation for 25

students each)

1 Test and quality center

429 Participants at training courses in Ethiopia

7.0 million ETB Loan grants (Revolving Fund) (approx. 320k Euro / 400k CHF / 410k USD)

100% Repayment quota

4.8 million Euro Total investment in development of solar trade in Ethiopia (approx. 6.8 million USD)

<10% Proportion of administration costs

0.5 Salaried employees in Europe (2012)


From the charitable initiative of the Stiftung Solarenergie (from 2005) …

The fundamental new concept for solar development:

Holistic We recognize the complexity of each development and therefore we do not focus on one single aspect. For a permanent change, we bundle ra-ther the diversity of tasks (training, financing, production, installation, cus-tomer service, etc.) in an overall strategy. This will ensure that not only isolated, individual projects are implemented, but an overall development is provided.

Hybrid To ensure both a social and financial sustainability, we bring together the For-Profit activities under the supervision of a Non-Profit organization. Thus, the economic targets always follow a broader social purpose.

People-oriented We orientate ourselves primary on the locally assessed needs of the pop-ulation in rural areas, not on the conceptions of external European inves-tors.


… to the network of Non-profit and For-Profit organisations "(from 2011).

Development on the timeline

Ethiopia Abroad

2004 Stiftung Solarenergie e.V. (Development asso-ciation)

2005 1st pilot project: Kechemober

2006 2nd pilot project: Rema Stiftung Solarenergie Germany

2007 Stiftung Solarenergie Ethiopia

ISES. International Solar Energy School

SunTransfer Germany

2008 Revolving Fund - Micro Finance Department Stiftung Solarenergie Switzerland

2009 Network rural Solar-Center SunTransfer Kenya

2010 SunTransfer Ethiopia

Inauguration Solar Valley Ethiopia

Stiftung Solarenergie Philippines

SunTransfer Hong Kong

2011

ISEI. International Solar Energy Institute for Rural Development

RSMFI. Rural Solar Micro Finance Institute

StS International Federation, Switzerland

ISEI. International Solar Energy Institute for Ru-ral Development, Germany

Stiftung Solarenergie Netherlands

Stiftung Solarenergie Kenya

Non-Profit: Guidance For-Profit: Execution


III.

Obstacles and Recognition

How will our work in Ethiopia continue?


1. Obstacles

As already mentioned in the introduction, the rural electrification in Ethiopia is effectively ob-structed for the most part by a widespread lack of interest. On the basis of its efficient and customer-oriented solar management, the Stiftung Solarenergie, has successfully worked to lay down a viable foundation since 2005. The individual steps in this direction were described above.

At this point I would like to mention obstacles which are, to a great extent, beyond our con-trol. Improvements here can only be achieved with great effort by means of educational work and by raising awareness in combination with the tangible successes of our field work. But this is also a characteristic of our hybrid approach. We are not only concerned about financial sustainability: We are primarily committed to the cause of alleviating poverty by supporting rural development with the aid of solar technology.

Today, more than ever before, relief organizations and enterprises in Ethiopia are involving themselves in the solar energy sector. More and more small-scale projects are being realised and more and more studies and concepts are being published. The number of conferences and meetings are also increasing. Significant results and efficient structures are, however, still missing.

Lack of interest on the part of European investors

The public image of Ethiopia

The pictures from Ethiopia, which the relief organizations have been disseminating for dec-ades in their struggle to get donations, have contributed decisively towards the widespread belief held by many investors that almost all of the people in Ethiopia are totally without means and are staggering from one famine to the next.

This image is not only wrong, but also dangerous. Ethiopia has more potential than to just become a field of operation for relief organizations. Nevertheless, it is difficult to combat this imagery which has been used by these organizations for decades and is still being used to-day. This picture has also been etched in the heads of the investors and impedes an un-distorted view of Ethiopian realities. Here it is essential that the image of Ethiopia in the minds of European investors is changed by means of persistent awareness raising.

Decision criteria

After I had presented our work to an entrepreneur from Liechtenstein, he gave me a long lec-ture with impressive graphics on how, according to his experience, the development of an enterprise should be. His presentation was impressive, but irrelevant, because setting up a business in Africa, particularly in a rural region, definitely does not follow the European pat-tern. Requirements, resources and challenges are totally different. If you try to measure with the same yardstick here, you will either reject an investment opportunity or, after a while, withdraw due to either disappointment or loss of interest.

The entrepreneur's lecture shows us, at least, an important deficit on the part of European investors: They often do not have the know-how and the necessary tools to evaluate a busi-ness in a developing country. There is a wide field here for educational and awareness rais-ing activities in order that European investors learn how to professionally evaluate business developments in developing countries.


Lack of interest on the part of Ethiopian government departments

It is not first and foremost the Ethiopian bureaucracy which impedes the development of a lo-cal solar market. Ultimately it is the fact that there is no strong local lobby in favour of solar energy within Ethiopia. The development of solar energy in Ethiopia today is nevertheless re-tarded by the authorities for the following reasons:

- Unclear responsibilities and decision-making powers

- Lack of professional competence on the part of the decision makers

- High degree of legal uncertainty

In all discussions with the government authorities one encounters friendly people who are open-minded with regard to solar energy. Furthermore, in brochures one can read with regu-larity how important solar energy is. Nevertheless, a professional concept is still missing. For this reason one government department may announce easier regulations which are shortly afterwards either rescinded or relativised. This administrative disorder has various effects:

- High custom duties on the import of most solar products

- Great obstacles for investments by foreign investors

- Arbitrary interpretation and execution of government regulations

- Promotion of foreign and discrimination against domestic manufacturers

There are, of course, examples of positive administrative work too, but these are mostly not of a structural nature, but are based on the personal involvement of individual people in re-sponsible positions. Up until now a structural change is not in sight.

What is to be done?

The positions of the European investors as well as the Ethiopian administration described above can only be changed by means of persistent lobbying and awareness raising. Both positions are closely related, although the motives and reasons are different. Both positions have one thing in common: Awareness must change.

Where are the European investors who are prepared to take new paths, away from the well-trodden ones, and invest in unsubsidized solar energy?

Where is the Ethiopian government official who makes rural electrification imple-menting solar energy to his own cause and dedicates himself with patience, intel-ligence and energy to this future market for the good of his own country?

The obstacles described also confirm how important the work of the Stiftung Solarenergie will be in the future if it is to bring the differently motivated disinterest of European investors and Ethiopian government authorities to an end.

We want to achieve this primarily by means of practical work because nothing is more con-vincing than a successful example - no matter how small it may be at the beginning. In the meantime, some organizations show recognition for our work by copying us. This makes us very happy because we cannot do all the work in Ethiopia alone. We need supporters and people who feel the same way as we do in order to make Ethiopia a country with a self-sustainable solar trade, reducing the poverty in rural areas which is due to the lack of energy sources more and more.


Discussion in rural areas

Director Dr. Harald Schützeichel - Country Representative Samson Tsegaye


2. Recognition

Despite all obstacles and all the awareness-raising work still to be done in Ethiopia and Eu-rope, our work has also gained a great amount of recognition. There were many situations in which our work was acknowledged, motivating us time and time again. Of these, I would like to mention only four:

The people on-site

Above all we get great encouragement from all those people in the countryside who we have been able to provide solar energy to: families, teachers, craftsmen, pupils, helpers in health clinics and many others. The collaboration over all the years has been for the greatest part without problems and full of mutual trust and respect.

In addition to the technology, the people appreciate that we and our Ethiopian technicians stay on-site, listen to them and are interested in further developments. This is obviously unu-sual to them. Mutual respect is also the basis for our financial transactions. It is therefore no surprise that there is a 100% repayment rate on the loans (Revolving Fund) we have grant-ed.

For me personally it was impressive to experience how solar technology not only produces light, but often releases energy in the people too: creativity, interest and the strength to im-prove their own situation. It impressively demonstrates that light can bring hope and in what way.

Bill Clinton's visit to the solar village of Rema

On account of our part-ner Good Energies Foundation, our work in Ethiopia became part of the Clinton Global Initia-tive. In summer 2008 Bill Clinton personally visit-ed the solar village of Rema, together with his daughter Chelsea. The visit not only impressed the inhabitants of Rema and our Ethiopian em-ployees, but apparently Bill Clinton too: At the annual meeting of the "Clinton Global Initiative" in New York later that

year Bill Clinton reported to more than 1,000 high-ranking participants that he was deeply moved by his visit to Rema, the most impressive project he had visited in that year.


Ashden Award

It is not the aim of the Stiftung Solarenergie to win as many prizes as possible and for that reason we do not usually submit applica-tions to participate in such awards. We prefer to invest our time and energy in the daily work on-site.

We were nevertheless de-lighted to receive the Ashden Award for our sus-tainable work in 2009. Sam-son Tsegaye, the Country Representative of our Ethio-

pian foundation, was presented with the prize by Prince Charles at a formal ceremony in London.

Lighting Africa Product Award

The mobile solar lamp ST2, which was designed by us and produced by our subsidiary SunTransfer together with our Taiwanese partner SunSumSolar, was awarded with the prize "Outstanding Product" by Lighting Africa in 2010. Lighting Africa is an initiative

of the IFC and the World Bank with the aim of promoting the solar off-grid market in Africa.

Global Off-grid-Lighting Association (GOGLA)

In November 2011 the director of the Foundation, Har-ald Schützeichel, was elected President of the Global Off-Grid-Lighting Association (GOGLA). The Associa-tion, whose headquarters are in New Delhi, represents the interests of the producers and users of solar prod-

ucts used in those areas of developing countries which are far from an electricity grid.


3. How will our work in Ethiopia continue?

From 2012 our work will emphasize on three main points:

Emphasis 1: Awareness-raising in Europe and Ethiopia

Even stronger than before, but with the momentum of success from our practical work in ru-ral areas, it will be necessary to strengthen the awareness that Ethiopia is ripe for the devel-opment of its own solar trade. This work will be directed at:

- people in responsible positions in government departments in Ethiopia to make sure that the many well-intended words are transformed into tangible actions;

- European investors and their ability to make a realistic picture of Africa and founding a business there;

- European donors because the traditional methods of support often do not achieve what was really intended.

Emphasis 2: Extending existing activities in Ethiopia

We went to consolidate what we have already achieved in our Ethiopian network for rural de-velopment and then cautiously, but persistently extend it. There are four main areas of activity:

- Further development of the solar franchise network

- Expansion of the Rural Solar Micro Finance Institute (RSMFI)

- Training, research and advising third parties (ISEI)

- Setting up the production for solar products (SunTransfer)

Emphasis 3: Transferring knowledge

Organizations and enterprises from all over the world are increasingly contacting us in order to learn from our experience and knowledge of rural electrification in order to help them with their own projects. With the assistance of our advisory and training institute, ISEI, we will be in a position to answer such requests in the future.

We need support

We need people in Germany, Switzerland and Ethiopia who share our cause, that is rural development based on solar energy as well as our holistic approach. We are looking for people who are prepared to accompany us as our partners: By means of financial support, by contributing with their own competence or by supporting awareness-raising in Europe and Ethiopia. In short:

We are looking for people

who are prepared to take new paths, away from the well-trodden ones, and com-bine financial and social sustainability;

who invest as socially-oriented investors profitable in the biggest, unsubsidized solar market of the world or support as donors our relief and pilot projects;

and who thus alleviate poverty in developing countries, which is related to a lack of energy, and open people there the possibility of economic and social develop-ment.


Above: Solar-Center Rema (2010)

Below: Ethiopian employees of Stiftung Solarenergie in Solar Valley Addis Ababa (2010)


My thanks

The work over the last years has only been possible with the support of a large number of people and organizations in Europe, Ethiopia and the USA. Without wanting to belittle the merits of others, I would like to praise two people in particular. In the last years, both have contributed towards building up the Stiftung Solarenergie and its network in a dedicated and reliable manner. Over all the years they have trusted me as a person and supported my vi-sion of rural development with solar energy. They did this in various ways, but both of them were partners who over the years became my friends:

Samson Tsegaye, Country Representative Stiftung Solarenergie Ethiopia

Marcel Brenninkmeijer, Chairman Good Energies Foundation, Schweiz

***

I have made an effort to include all of our supporters in the list, but I am sure that I have not totally succeeded. I hope that those people, enterprises and organizations which I may have forgotten will forgive me.

Employees in Ethiopia (2005 - 2011)

Ababu Mabereja Cheber • Abera Setotaw Legese • Abere Tsegawe Hassen • Abnet Agar Desalkegne • Abnet Jemal Zeinu • Abreham Lencho • Adefres Kebere Aschenaki • Akeberet Sebehatu Yfter • Alebachew Wedu Tadsse • Alelegne Getnet Lebasie • Aleminesh Seid Ahmed • Alemu Gizaw • Ali Endris Zewdie • Anania Hailye • Anteneh samson Tsegaye • Aseleech Kebede Guta • Asfawe Yelma Demssie • Ashebir G/Silasie • Aster Sultan Musbeha • Atikelte Berhie G/Hanns • Atnafu Menegesha W/Mariam • Behailu Alemu • Belayneh Teshome Lem-ma • Berhane negash G/Krestose • Berihu Abrha G/Hiwote • Betelehem Fekadu Legesse • Bewketu Teshome Chane • Bezuayhu Tesfaye Telila • Bikila Wami Eidaeie • Boja Berehanu Dmesie • Cheru Bekele Bedada • Dawit H/michael Ayle • Debela Yadeta Yadessa • Demelash Yilma Gesese • Demoze Zegye Alemu • Desta Adefres Ze-nebe • Desu Ayahu Kassahune • Eerecha Birrie Ayano • Emebet Tesfaye Mideksa • Ephrem Nigusie Hurisa • Fekede Woldie Banksira • Firehiwot Ademe Adarro • Geletaw Belay Agonafir • Genale Keserto Ulle • Genet Feysa Tebelu • Genet Woldu W/mikael • Getachew Gugusa • Getasew Muluken Alene • Girma Biru Bayou • Girma Sew-enet Tegene • Girma Tadele Ayele • Girmachew Shenkut Belihu • Girmawe Tefera • Habtamu Mosis Mengistu • Haftu Kalayu Redae • Hargewin Amare Worku • Helen Sahlie Cherie • Kumelachew Bizuayehu Mehary • Laiso Tesfaye Ienjore • Lemlem Tessema Bulity • Mame Hailu Wendmu • Masreshe Endris yimame • Melkamu Meku-riaw Berihun • Mena Hailemichael G/Tsadik • Meron Abebe Woldyesus • Meseret SahlieHaile • Mohammed Jehad Ahmed • Mulugeta G/yesus Kebede • Mushet kberete Demisse • Nebiyou W/Rufael Teferie • Negusie H/Yesus Ashagrie • Netsanet Tena • Nistu Addis Alemayehu • Qulicha Dagne Wondmeagne • Regasa Alemu Telila • Ro-man Shewa Dadie • Samson Tsegaye Lemma • Samuel Tadese Habtemichael • Seble Kassa • Serawork Amsallu • Serkalem Eshetu Mohamed • Serkalem Terefe Negash • Sheriff Ahemed Umer • Shimelis Tadesse Negatu • Sisay Arusi Ashafi • Solomon Bekele Gebrgiorgise • Tamrat Ersido Anshiso • Taye Bedada Gurumu • Tegi Yesufe Ashebir • Temesgen Yalew Baye • Tesefa Hailu G/Egziabher • Tesfaye Gudisa Debele • Tesfaye Kefyalew Woldhawariat • Tewoderos Yaregal Reta • Tigist Qulich Tagsse • Tilahun Yaye Tesfaye • Tola Brehanu Demesie • Tsegaye T/sadik • Wobeshet Hailu • Wondmagegn Reta Telilew • Workineh Shebeshi Afeto • Workneh Gashie • Worku Abebe Tessema • Worku Kebret Aweke • Yekanu Ayalew Asres • Yeneneh Data Dadiso • Yonas Workie Chernet • Zelake Ginto Wolde • Zewdu Ajema Goda


Supporters Angelika Abel • Walter A. Aeberli • Nils-Uwe Ahsendorf • Aktionskreis Eine-Welt-Handel e.V. • Allianz-Büro Umhang • Bigi und Franz Alt • Alternative Energiesysteme Oberberg GmbH • Bernhard Altevers • Gunnar Althausen • ana yi africa - Brücken nach Afrika e.V. • Antonia Ruut Stiftung • Aquantum GmbH • Architekturbüro Gäßler • Architekturbüro Peter Gißler • Ares Energiesysteme GmbH • Nicola Armacost • Michael Artmann • AS Solar GmbH • Gaby Asenkerschbau-mer • Holger Austinat • Hans-Jürgen Auth • Wolfgang und Karla Babanek • Obbe Bahnsen • Bernhard Balle • Ingrid Bal-zer • Matthias Bank • Rosemarie Bank • Hartmut und Margarete Bansemer • Dieter Banzhaf • Hajo Banzhaf • Thomas Bär • Wolfgang Bargon • Roman Barniol • Werner Bast • Hans-Bernd Bauer • Rainer Bauer • Beate Baumm • Manfred Bausch • Christoph Bayer • Simone Beckenbach • Stephan Beckenbach • Arnt Becker • Leonie Becker • Peter Beerla-ge • Elmar Behrendt • Stephan Behrla • Gabriele Beker • Danielle Benyoumoff • Oliver Berger • Wolfram Berger • Birgit Bernard • bi invest GmbH solar division • Tomas und Vasko Biermann-Kojnov • Andrea Bierschneider-Jakobs • Gundela Biesewig • Jürgen Bilger • Billich Solar+Elektrotechnik • Philippe Billotte • Biohaus-Stiftung für Umwelt • BionEM-Aqua GmbH • Heinz Bircher • Verena Bischof • BISS - Business Institute Solar Strategy • Jost Blankenhagen • Christoph Blocks • Arnulf Bobeth • Jens Bock • Stefanie Boerner • Ulrike und Gisbert Bohle • Regine Bonfert • Borer Chemie AG • Herbert Born • Marianne Bort • Gesa Bothe • Stephan Botschen • Sascha Boucsein • Ernst Brahms • Urs und Ariane Brandli-Zeller • Markus Braun • Rolf Brechbuehl • Michael Breith • Johannes Brenner • Thomas Bretting • Armin Brietz-ke • Mathias Brogle • Albrecht Brückner • Heiko Brune • Michael Brünger • Daisy Bruppacher-Bodmer • Christa Büch • Rudolf Bücheler • Rosemarie Bucher • Heinrich Bühler • Leonie Bührle • BÜNDNIS 90 / DIE GRÜNEN, Kreisverband Fürth • Josy Bürgin • Fritz Burkhardt • Burkhardt Solar-Elektro • Burkhart Buch- und Medienservice • Robert Bürmann • Büro Ö-quadrat • Anne-Kristine Busse • BW Bank • C2-Umwelttechnik • Hans-Michael und Rosem Carl • Carl von Os-sietzky Universität Oldenburg • C-Gerhards GmbH • Dorothea Chwalek • Präsident Bill Clinton • Sabine Collum • Conrad Electronic SE • Werner Conrad • Holger Corona Solar GmbH • Irene und Guenther Cramer • Dachland GmbH • Claudine Daellenbach • Helmut Dahlmanns • Maria Danzeisen • Daphnis-Verlag • Alfred de Waal • Torsten Deist • Jess Der-boven • Deutsche Energieagentur • Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V. • Stefan Dietrich • Digiraster Tetzner GmbH • Birgit Disch • Rolf Disch • York Ditfurth • Rüdiger Dittmann • Inge Dittrich • Berta Djabagate-Thacker • Tobias Doepfner • Dolphin's Design • Manfred Dornhecker • dos-puntos • Hannes Dreher • Richard Drexler • Michael Dücker • André Du-sedeau • Horst Ebitsch • Ebitsch Energietechnik GmbH • Sibylle Eckel • EDV Beratung Fenn • Effigy Agentur • Nils Ehl-ting • Patricia Ehret • Thomas Ehses • Hans-Dieter Eichhorst • Friedhelm Eichin • Elektro Service & Anlagen V. Beck-mann GmbH • Elektro- und Haustechnik Bernd Schlecht • Elektro Wieser • Claudia Enders-Götzelmann • Diethardt Energie-Bildungs-Verein e.V. • Marcus Enger • Ralf Enger • Georg Erhardt • Ernst Neger Bedachungs GmbH • Christian Ernstberger • Ernst-Pelz-Stiftung • Ersol Solar Energy AG • Matthias Ertel • Rainer Esser • Marie-Theres Esser-Ehmke • Ethiopian Engineering and Capacity Building Program • Ethisch-ökologische Finanzdienstleistung Thiene • Martina Ette-rich • Bernd Euchner • Ev. Kirchengemeinde der Dreieinigkeitskirche • Ev.-Luth. Kirchengemeinde Schliersee • Ev.-Luth. Pfarramt Landsberg • Ev.-Luth. Kirchengemeinde, Neuhaus • Winfried Even • Jens-Peter Falk • Eva Faßmann • Bern-hard Fastenrath • Thomas Fehn • Georg Feil • Bernd und Petra Fellmuth • Max Felsch • Klaus Ferner • Winfried Festag • Alexandra Fey • Fink Energie & Umwelt • Sandra Fiorenza • Karl-Georg Fischer • Lothar J. Fischer • Robert B. Fishman • Richard Fix • Wolfgang Fladung • Gabi Fleckenstein • Konrad Fleig • Rita Flohr • Miriam Flückiger • Martin Flühmann • Dagmar Förster • Gunter Frahammer • Stephen Frapart • Freimaurerloge Frei und Offen e.V. • Holger Frei-tag • Hans-Jürgen Frey • Uwe Friedel • Rolf Friedrich • Volker Friedrich • Marco Frischknecht • Christa Fritsch • Wolfram Fritz • Peter Fritzsch • André Fritzsche • Walter Fröhling • Dirk Frosch-Wilke • Karl und Ute Früh • Johannnes Gaekle • Jutta und Eberhard Gäkle • Matthias Galm • Carlo Galmarini • Gammenthaler • Ella Gantenbein • Bernhard Gänzler • Jens Garleff • Willy Gasche • Andreas und Heidrun Gebert • Shermeka Chamissa Gebeyehu • Gebhard & Uhl GmbH • Maria Gebken • Jürgen Gehr • Heinz Geiger • Gemeindewerke Haar • Jörg Gerdes • Enrico Germann • Christoph Gerhards • Gertec GmbH Ingenieurgesellschaft • Volker Gettwert • Torsten Geucke • Werner Geucke • Hermann Geywitz • Alemtsehai Ghirmay • Ruedi und Claire Giger • Christine Gloderer • Regula Gloor • GLS Treuhand e. V. • Ka-rin und Raimund Glücker • Markus Goerressen • Miachael Goldbach • Joachim Goldbeck Solar GmbH • Arvid Goletz • Good Energies Foundation • Martin und Birgit Göring • Johann Görl • Adalbert Gothe • Axel Gottschalk • Arnd Götzel-mann • Volker Goy • Graphisches Atelier Fleckenstein • Reinhold + Christiane Gravelmann • greenValue GmbH • Harald Gregorius • Holger Gretzschel • Bernhard Grill • Jürgen Grobe • Mathias Groß • Werner Grossheim • Harald Gruber • Oliver Grumber • GSE Neusäß • Ingeborg Guggolz • Barbara Gumbrecht • Rosemarie Gunder • Horst Gunkel • Alexand-er Gutmans • Hans N. und Gisela Haas • Hubert Haas • Wolfgang und Sabine Hack • Martin Hacker • Barbara Hafner • Albrecht Häfner • Albert und Marlies Hager-Rohrer • Markus Hammer-Weis • Beat Hardmeier Stocker • Stephan Hardo Heuer GmbH Wasseraufbereitungsanlagen • Sven Harmeling • Dirk M. Harmsen • Stephen und Rhiannon Harston • Ur-ban Harter • Achim Hasselhoff • Eberhard Haug • Hans Haug • Gerhard Haury • Urs Häusermann • HB Energietechnik Handels GmbH • Susanne Hecht • Carsten Heinze • Ingrid Heinzenberger • Ida Heißenbüttel • Thomas Helbing • Her-mann Held • Helfen macht Schule - Birabiro e.V. • Juergen Hellgardt • Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin • Frank Hemme • Heinz Henes • Wilfried Hengstenberg • Christoph Hensel • Beate und Hartmut Hensgen • Elmar Henzen • Gabriele Herde • Hermann Mayer Elektrounternehmen • David Herr • Karl Herrigel • Kristina Herrmann • Lara Herrmann • Peter Herr-mann • Konrad und Gerlinde Herz • Martin Hess • Hilti Foundation • Albrecht und Christine Himmelein • Jochen Hinkel-mann • Stefan Hirner • Ursula Hof • T. Hofer-Freiburghaus • Angelika Hoffmann • Heiko Hoffmann • Rüdiger Hoffmann • Walter Hoffmann • Thomas Hoffmann-Resch • Harald Hog • Hogeback Solartechnik GmbH • Georg Högner • Peter Hop-pe • Edwin Horn • Thorsten Hornung • Margret und Erich Hosenseidl • Michael Hübener • Anette Huber • Diana und Thomas Huber • Marcus Huber • Huber Haustechnik GmbH • Richard Hughes • Wolfgang Hugo • Theo Hummel • Susann Huppenbauer • Gabriele Hurst • Bettina Hütter-Geng • ib vogt GmbH • Uwe K. Ilgemann • Iliotec Solar GmbH • Mineko Imaizumi • Karsten Ingenhoven • Ingenieurbüro Stehrenberg • Institut für Fortbildung und Projektmanagement • InWent - Internationale Weiterbildung • IPB Ingenieurbüro Buch & Partner • Irene Ising • Industrielle Werke Basel • J. Kamphausen Verlag & Distribution GmbH • Jacques Wein-Depot Konstanz • Andreas Jakobs • Manfred Jakobs • Stefan Janson • Sabine Jantschke • Mike Jaschke • K. Jeisy-Benz • Heiko und Lydia Jessen • Thomas John • Fritz Jourdan • Volker Jung • Regine Justus-Staudenmaier • Günther Kaiser • Jürgen Kaiser • Hans und Ingeborg Kälber • Erhard Kal-


lert • Kanzlei Rainer Schad • Johann Kasiw • Ulrich Kasparick MdB • Manfred Kasper • Kath. Pfarramt St. Elisabeth, Frankfurt a.M. • Vera Kattermann • Richard Kauffman • Esther Kaufmann • Hartmut Kaufmann • Iris Kaun-Huber • Daniel und Anna Keel • Gertrud Keil • Friedemann Keller • Wolfgang Keller-Nitschmann • Ralf Keppler • Norbert Kestermann • Andreas und Natascha Kettenacker • Karsten Keuntje • Martina Kiefer • Wolfgang Kiehle • Margret Kiel • Henri Kienker • Franz Kies • Robert Kilian • Martha Kinsky • Kipfl • Kirchenkreisamt Hameln • Birgit Kirchhoff • Kirchliches Verwaltungs-amt Eilenburg • Gerlinde Kittl • Klass Ofen Design • Andreas Klein • Jürgen Klein • Manfred Klein • Kleiner GmbH • Peter Klocke • Frank und Helga Klonowski • Simone Knapp • Knappmeier Elektronik • Kneipp GmbH • Reiner Knipper • Gerhard Knipping • Roberto Kobelt • Manfred Koch • Anton und Maria Kohler • Dobrinka Kojnova-Biermann • kolb + mül-ler gmbh • Michael Konstanzer • Ton Koper • Matthias Kopp • Reiner Kopp • Andreas Kowol • Karl und Hedwig Krahn • Armin Krejsa • Andreas Krennerich • Klaus Kreuzer • Albert Krikken • Michael Krist • Christian Krknjak • Uwe Kroeker • Karsten Krohn • Ingrid Kubera • Reiner Kubera • Ralf Kuhlendahl • Edith und Norbert Kulzer-Schwab • Dietmar Kutter • Thorbjörn und Gabriele Laag • Willi Ladwig • Anna Landmann-Autenrieth • Landshuter Energie Agentur • Siegfried Lan-ge • Jörg Lange-Eichholz • Irene Lanker • Hansjörg Laufer • Beatrice Legien-Flandergan • Wolfgang Lehmann • Stephan und Elisabeth Leitschuh • Liaf Agentur f. Photos & Reportagen GmbH • Jack Liao • Licht in Nepal, Bern • Josef Liebhart • Monika Liebl • Burckhard Lietz • Freya Linder • Kerstin Linkerhägner • Living Solar UG • Thomas Löffler • Wilhelm Loh-mann • Rolf Ludwig • Viktor Lüpertz • Norbert Maack • Stephanie Malik • Rolf Malter • Ewald Mandl • Julia Mansmann • Robert Markus • Klaus-Dieter Marr • Doris Marti • Maschinenbau Gerold GmbH & Co. KG • Jenzer Masters Club AG • Kurt Mauch • Eric Mauky • Markus Mayer • Thomas Mayer • Uto und Margot Meier • Matthias Mendt • Martin Mengeling • Stefan Menzel • Hildegard und Valentin Merkelbach • Miren Merkelbach • Metallkonzept GmbH & Co KG • Metrum GmbH • Steffen Metz • Max und Francoise Meyer • Thomas Meyer • Meyer Burger Technology Ltd • MHH Solartechnik GmbH • Carsten Michelsen • Michael und Irmela Mies • Migros-Genossenschafts-Bund Hilfsfonds • Peter Mihm • Barba-ra und Norbert Mikus-Boddenberg • Charles Anton Milner • Helga Mitesser • Mattis und Tamara Mittelstädt • Annemarie Mohr • Erich Möhren • Senta Möller • Iris und Winfried Monreal • Claire Morgenthaler • Morlock Solar Bau GmbH • Ellen Morris • Claudia Mößner • Carl-Ernst Müller • Dankmar Müller • Edgar und Gertie Müller • Horst und Christa Müller • Kurt Müller • Norbert Müller • Ralf Müller • Ulf Müller • Ruth Ursula Müller Scheyer • Multi-Team-Nord GmbH • Stephan Muth • MyClimate • Nachhaltigkeits-Projekte • Alexandre Nakai • Isabel Nande • Bärbel Neef • Ulrike Nehls • Hans-Peter Nei-ses • NET Nowak Energie & Technologie AG • Jörg Nettersheim • Gerald Neubauer • Hans-Christoph Neuert • Neu-markter Lammsbräu • Newell Rubbermaid - Sanford GmbH • William S. Nichols • Peter Niederberghaus • Susanne Niet-zer • Barbara Nölleke • Gerhard Nottbeck • Helmut Obermaier • Wolfgang Oels • Nils Ohmer • Ökotherm Energiesyste-me GmbH • Leonie Olesch-Bläsi • Klaus Jörg und Familie Onasch • Norbert Oppelt • Nina Orthuber • Rolf Ostertag • Sonja Ott • P3 Creation Group • Manfred Palmen • Dirk Pantle • Dietrich Papsch • Monya Pehlke • Tim Pellemeier • Kris-tian Peter • Martina Peter • Peter Dornier Stiftung • Peter Solar- und Wärmetechnik GmbH • Christina Peters • Conrad und Martine Peyer-Steuri • Manfred Pfaff • Peter Pfaff • Robert Mathias Pfeifer • Marianne und Gottfried Pfeiffer • Kerstin Pflüger • Phaesun GmbH • Uta Philipp • Phocos AG • Wolfram Pistohl • Renate Pitzer-Reyl • Annemarie Plassmann • Matthias Plieninger • Rosemarie Ploog • PMD - Projekt Management Drosdol • Reiner Porstmann • Stefan Post • Klaus Potreck • Prämostratenser-Abtei Windberg • Praxis F. Johannsen • Klaus Pritzel • Rudolf Prock • projekt21plus GmbH • ProSecur • Helmut u. Margit Ptacek • Pur Natur e.K., Darmstadt • pvXchange GmbH • Q-Cells SE • Rahmser Sicher-heitsservice • Manfred Rank • Rathaus Apotheke Eislingen • Werner Rau • Birgit Rauber • Bernd Rech • Engelbert Reck • Martin Rector • Recycling-Kaufhaus Freiburg • Wolfgang W. Rehfus • Willi Reichhold • Heiko Reinhold • Michael Reinholz • Aniko Reintke • REPIC • Sabine Resch • Eva Maria Rettig • Stefan Markus Reuter • Oliver Reutter • Ralf Reyeg • Annett Richter • Walter Richter • Marco Rieckmann • Urte Rieger • Dominik und Melanie Rihm • Dorothe Ritt-meyer- Homberger • Antonia Riva • Robert Bosch Stiftung • Martin Röcker • Alexander W. Rohde • Fred Rolf • Michael Rolland • Roth & Rau AG • Florian Rubelt • Ortrud und Jürgen Rubelt • Dieter Rübener • Dietmar Rüdel • Caroline Rum-mer • Claudia Rutenberg • Andreas Ryser • Brigitte Ryter • Gabriele Rzehak-Wartha • Andreas Saakel • Dominik Sakry • Carolin Salvamoser • Janice Santos • Ursula Schachenmann • Lutz Schaeffer • René Schaetti • Elke und Alfred Schä-fer • Ernst Schanz • Walter Schardt-Pachner • Michael Schätzel • Renate Schauer • Günther Schechter • Günther Schef-fer • Monika Scheffer • Franz Scheidt • Nahana Schelling • Rainer Schenk • Bernd und Martina Scherer • Wilhelm Scheuten • Joachim Schiffers • Albrecht Schilling • Schillinger • Martin Schindler • Christoph Schings • Jochen Schirmer • Edith Schlagenhauf • Martin und Sabine Schlageter und Engel • Claudia Schläpfer • Verena Schleiffenbaum • Ingeborg Schleindl-van Gelder • Thomas Schlink • Johann Schmalwieser • Pia Schmidt • Reinhard Schmieder • Christoph Sch-mitt • Alfred Schmitt-Hess • Wolfgang Schnauss • Karl-Heinz Schneckenberger • Monika Schneider • Sigrid Schneider • Schneider Electric Buildings • Thomas Scholz • Harald Schöngart • Schöpfung nachhaltig bewahren e.V. • Hildegard Schörry-Klinger • Hubert Schramm • Bernhard Schratt • Adolf Schreiber • Bärbel Schubert • Schüco International KG • Dieter Schulz • Gebhard Schulz • Carsten Schulze • Roland Schulze-Hobeling • Schumacher • Bernd Schüßler • Lucy Schüssler • Thomas Schütt • Thomas Schwab • Martin Schweiger • Clemens Schweigler • Werner Schweinzer • W. Schweizer Arau • Annemarie Schweizer-Arau • Monika Sebald-Geigenberger • Seelitho AG • Martin Seißler • Erich Selinger • Philip Semrad • Arnd Seufer • SGEU Gesellschaft für Energie Umwelt mbH • Renate Siart • Heiner Sigel • Hanno Simons • Dietmar Skrobanek • Baerbel Smarz • Betina Soehnle-Heubach • Solar Competence GmbH • Solar Fu-ture • Solar Heisse • Solar23 GmbH • Solarbauer Stemwede GmbH • Solarbüro Detlef Gudian • solarcomplex • Solar-energieverein Osnabrück e.V. • Solarfriend GbR, Jena • Solargemeinschaft Gläserne Backstube • Solarkraft III • Solar-spar • Solarstrom Christuskirche Lauf GbRmbH • Solarsysteme Josef Mittermeier • Solar-Verlag GmbH • Solarwelt e.V. • Soleos Solar GmbH • Solitem GmbH • Solvis GmbH & Co KG • Theresia Sommer • Frank und Helga Sommerkorn • Sonnen- und Windenergieanlagenbau GmbH • Sonnen-Energie-Zentrum • SPD Eberswalde • Bernd Spengler • Evelyn Spiegl • Sputnik Engineering AG • Staatliches Seminar für Didaktik und Lehrerbildung Meckenbeuren • Stadt Burghau-sen • Stadt Fürth • Stadt Schramberg • Stadtwerke Augsburg • Andrea Stahl • Elzbieta Stamm • Susanne Stangl • Axel Starkloff • Ruth Stegmann • Joerg Steinbeck • Silke Steinbronn • Suse und Hans Steinbronn • Gudrun Stengel • Susan-ne Stengel-Greiner • Florian Stenzel • Steuerberatung Martin-Ehret und Künze • Stiftung "Gutes mit Schönem verbin-den" • Stiftung Learning for Life • Stiftung Menschen für Menschen • Magnus Stillhard • Reinhart Stölzel • Joachim Storck • Felix Storm • Ingrid Strassner • Bernd-Rüdiger Strathmann • Reiner Straub • Strauß-Schwarz • Axel und Karin Stricker • Herbert Stuber • Jörg Stüdeli • Sonja Studer • Horst und Marlis Stukenberg • Harald und Betina Sturm • Sun


Master Energiesysteme GmbH • Sunos Solarpower • Sunova AG • Daniel Sutter • Marta Sutter • Christian Tebert • Bert-hold Tenbrock • Terra AK Energiewende • Terra OneWorld Network e.V. • text control • The care-taker • Antje Thiel-mann • Dominik Thieme • David Timm • Sabine Tölke-Rückert • Petra Treffler • Günther Treimer • Mario Trinkaus • Trio-dos Foundation • Tritec International AG • Joachim Trott • Erwin Trunk • TU Berlin • Hans Peter Uerlings • Umwelttechnik GmbH & Co. KG, Köln • Karin Universelle Bau-Dienste, Leipzig • Sylvia Unterreiner • Dagmar Uttich • Richenda van Leeuwen • Vitamin 2 AG • Daniela Vogellehner • Angela Volkner • Wolf Herman von Arnim • Peter-Heinrich von Blanckenhagen • Rolf von Kuhlmann • Herbert von Sinnen • Ina von Spies • Christian Vorlop • Heidrun Voss • Matthias Voucko • Josef Wachs • Thomas Waespi • Jürgen Wagentrotz • Klaus Wagner • Bernhard Wallmeyer • Dietrich Wanke • Wolf-Dietrich Warncke • Matthias Warnken • Nele Wasmuth • Eicke R. Weber • Rolf Weber • Walter Weber • Heidrun Wegmeyer-Toetzke • Ellen und Heinz Weiberle • Anita und Rudolf Weich • Karl-Heinz Weis • Josef Weiß • Herbert Wen-zel • Petra Werhahn • Barbara und Günther Werner Haustechnik • Christoph Wetschewald • Thomas Wieder • Jürgen Wieland • Florian Wieser • Hermann Wiggert • Georg Wild • Norbert Wild • Mirko Willaredt • Gunnar Wilss • Windwärts Energie GmbH • Jacob Winiecki • Ines Wissel • Roland Wittenberg • Folkard Wittrock • K. Wittwer-Sutter • Walter Wit-zel • Oskar K.L. Wolf • Bernd Wolff • Andreas Wolfgramm • Bernhard Wöller • WollFee • Ralf und U. Wollowski • Ingrid Wrase • Tim Wundt • Gisela Wurster • Andreas Wüst • Heinz Zacke • Martha Zaech • Wolfgang Zander • Peter Zaninet-ti • Karin Zieg • Beate Zilias • Andrea Zimmer • Erich Zimmermann • Rainer Zöller • Zopf GmbH – Umweltgerechte Ener-gieprojekte • Armin Zuber • Dieter Zuckschwerdt • Peter Züllig • Daniela Zürcher.

Abbreviations

Organizations in the network for rural development

ISEI International Solar Energy Institute for Rural Development

Training, advisory and research facility of the network. For-Profit, social business

Headquarters in Germany; Office and Training Institute in Ethiopia

RSMFI Rural Solar Micro Finance Institute

Ethiopian microloan organization of the Stiftung Solarenergie. For-Profit, social business

ST SunTransfer

Enterprise developing, producing, distributing and maintaining the solar systems implement-ed by the network. For-Profit, social business

Offices in Ethiopia, Germany, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Kenya

StS Stiftung Solarenergie - Solar Energy Foundation

Non-profit foundations in Germany, Switzerland, Ethiopia, Philippines and the Netherlands

StS International Umbrella federation for all the "Stiftung Solarenergie - Solar Energy Foundation" worldwide: Ethiopia, Germany, Kenya, Netherlands, Philippines, Switzerland (status 2012)

Headquarters in Switzerland. Not-For-Profit

General abbreviations

ETB Ethiopian Birr

GOGLA Global Off-Grid-Lighting Association

IFC International Finance Corporation, part of the Weltbank

MFI Micro Finance Institute

Off-grid Term denoting an electricity supply which is not coupled to an electricity network (grid), par-ticularly one using decentralized solar home systems (SHS)

SHS Solar-Home-System

USD US Dollar

W Watt

Wp Watt peak


Imprint / Contact

Stiftung Solarenergie - Solar Energy Foundation

Germany (2006)

Office: Weberstr. 10, 79240 Merzhausen

Director: Dr. Harald Schützeichel

Board: Beate Baumm, Ursula Schachenmann, Jörg Stüdeli

General Manager: York Ditfurth

Ethiopia (2007)

Office: Solar Valley, P.O. Box 22734/10000, Addis Ababa

Country Representativ: Samson Tsegaye

Administrator: Worku Abebe Tessema

Technical Director: Yonas Workie Cherenet

Solar Inspectors: Mena H/Michael

Nebiyu W/Rufael

Shimeles Tadesse

Finance Manager: Genet Woldu W/mikael

Switzerland (2008)

Office: Josefstr. 92, 8005 Zürich

President: Dr. Harald Schützeichel

Board: Beate Baumm, Josephine Bürgin, Ursula Schachenmann, Jörg Stüdeli

General Manager: York Ditfurth

***

Advisory Board: Dr. Franz Alt, Rolf Disch, Dr. jur. Alexander Gutmans, Ton Koper, WP/Stb Stefan Janson, Prof. Eicke R. Weber

Contact: [email protected]

Web: www.stiftung-solarenergie.org

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