A hut in Lesotho

A solar bread cooker in the African nation of Lesotho inspired Peace Corps volunteers and MIT engineers to bring solar energy to the small nation through specially-created solar turbines.  Last year, volunteers flew to Lesotho to install the solar turbines that will provide electricity, much-needed refrigeration and hot water to residents of the off-grid area.

Amazingly, the solar turbines were created from parts of used cars.  They run on heat from the sun, as described in Popular Mechanics as follows:

The solar turbine has three main parts: an array of shiny parabolic troughs that track the sun, an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) engine and an electrical control system. Rather than converting light to electricity using photovoltaics, this system employs solar heat: The four large troughs focus sunlight onto a continuous loop of pipes. Circulating through the pipes is a thermal absorption fluid, such as glycol, the anti-freeze fluid used in car radiators. Reaching temperatures up to 300 degrees F, the glycol passes through a heat exchanger, where it transfers its heat to a working fluid—a refrigerant, such as the R134 found in a car’s air conditioner—which vaporizes and spins turbines in the ORC.

The micro-generator system generates about 1 kW of electricity which sounds miniscule to you and me, but is enough to significantly help the impoverished people that live in Lesotho.  Trees can be preserved, as well, since they won’t need to be harvested for fuel.

As shown on the following video, the small villages in Lesotho have a real need for electricity being so far off the grid.  Only 10% of the total population has electricity.  Fortunately, volunteers dedicate time and resources to help install solar panels and other solar systems to provide power to this region of the world:

Flag of Lesotho

Lesotho lies near the southern tip of the African continent and is completely surrounded by South Africa.  The entire country is at an elevation more than 3,300 feet above sea level.  Of the 1.8 million residents, nearly 30% are affected by HIV/AIDS.

Bringing solar energy to this mountainous region will literally transform lives of thousands of people.  For this reason, it is especially heartwarming to read about the dedication of Peace Corps volunteers and the generosity of World Bank, that provided a $130,000 grant to MIT for the Lesotho solar work.