Project aids Brazil’s slums using solar power

World Today

A social startup is working to bring dependable and affordable electricity to poor communities In Rio de Janeiro. CCTV’s Paulo Cabral reports on this pilot project.

Nearly 1.5 million people live in Rio’s slums. Most of them cope with undependable public services like water, sewage and electricity. Finding local solutions could be one way to improve and reduce the cost of these basic services for people here.

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CEO of Insolar, Henrique Drummond, said his startup will not only help communities, but give solar power a publicity boost.

“The idea of merging clean energy generation, solar energy generation with social impact for us is very important,” Drummond said.

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“And it helps both sides: from one side the community is helping to promote the technology, on the other side the technology is helping the community to reduce energy bills and bring attention, bring tourism to the community.”

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Many hope that this green technology will provide consistent, reliable power – and do it affordably.

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“We don’t get enough energy here. For example we can’t use two electric showers at the same time or the whole electricity drops down… So, we have to shower one child at a time,” Marcia Souza of Mundo Infantil Nursery said. “And on top of that electricity bills are very high! So we have accepted to have the solar panels to reduce our bills.”