Our efforts for solar energy in India begin with our work here in Nashville. Scott Sherrod leads a small group experimenting with solar projects. This kind of planning and practice allows us to develop our capacity in a safe environment, where the failures of an experimental system do not harm the livelihood of poor families.
This small solar panel, fixed atop the Hopewell Garden greenhouse, is a small preview of the kind of possibilities that exist in solar application. It powers a USB charging station where garden volunteers can recharge mobile phones. Even a small system like this one can improve conditions for poor, rural villages in India, where work and education are often contingent upon the availability of electricity.