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From the total South African population of more than 44 million, about 18 million people live in rural areas and have limited access to basic services. Households that are not connected to the electricity grid traditionally use biomass for their cooking and heating needs. At present, approximately 8 million cubic metres of wood fuel are chopped in the country every year, contributing to an accelerated rate of deforestation and to the reduction of carbon sinks. However, grid electricity in South Africa is generated almost exclusively from coal. Thus, electrification of rural areas in South Africa simply converts one source of greenhouse gas for another. The project described here proposes an alternative energy solution for remote areas, which consists of the combination of solar photovoltaic systems for basic electrical needs and liquefied petroleum gas as a complement, together with an appropriate financial solution that minimises initial investment and makes the system affordable to rural households.
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