African customers and my first system [RE-wrenches]

[Matt Tritt]

Geoff,
 Like you infer, it's much nicer and safer doing business with people
you actually have met and know than with an email address.

Another thing to consider when sending orders to desperate parts of the
globe is: How will it get to the intended buyer? My dealings with
(relatively well off) South Africa proved (to me, anyway) that about
3/4s of what I sent never arrived at their intended destination, and the
rest spent unbelievable amounts of time lost in some 0 Zone of tangled
bureaucracy - if sent by government mail. The only reliable method was
DHL ($$$$) or UPS.

Matt T

-----Original Message-----
From: Geoff Greenfield [mailto:Geoff at Third-Sun.Com] 
Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2004 7:17 AM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: RE: African customers and my first system [RE-wrenches]


(Warning - entering less than technical rant mode)

I have a legitimate customer and project in Sierra Leone and another in
Kenya.  The first deal was a handshake and a cashed US banc check as the
fellow was a grad student getting ready to return to his family compound
in Freetown.  Interesting use of electricity... the government would
regularly cut off power to areas of the city that were not cowering to
his political will - It's really amazing how the other half (2/3) lives
and what we take for granted as far as government and civilization etc.
There sure are a lot of things we can do better on, but it really blows
my mind how well we get along in general.

The second deal was with a tiny non-profit called "JUA" - the Swahili
word for sun.  Run by a Kenyan electrical and a former Peace Corps
Volunteer it does occasional low tech lighting projects at schools.  At
the equator it is dark from 6-6 year round, and these kids are doing
their best to study by kerosene or diesel lamps...  poor light, soot and
lung problems, plus the use of non-existent hard cash to get the fuel.

They have to add to the other typical derates the practice of welding a
cage around the solar panels so they don't walk off (I suggested secure
hardware...).  Solar panels are very sought after items over there.
Batteries continue to be the week link (familiar issue) with old truck
starting batteries often the only thing available.  We used these on my
very first PV install - I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Zaire
(Congo.... Zaire.... Congo... another disastrous Kleptocracy that we are
partially responsible for).  There was a box in the corner of the health
clinic full of panels and equipment.  It was gathering dust as it was
donated by a German non-profit and all the instructions ver en deutch...
Thanks to about 6 issues of HOME POWER read over the years this aspiring
solar bozo got it running.  It is still lighting up late night births
and other clinic activities (I hope/assume)

Anywayz...  desperate places and desperate times lead to desperados
doing desperate things - scams abound worldwide... here we wear ties and
do it with Cayman Island LLPs and bogus energy futures trading, over
there it's any way they can.  I hope for a solar future for ALL of us
and look forward to another legit project in Africa someday falling in
between the scam artists... lets not write them ALL off.

After all, they taught this stiff white boy how to beat the drums...
(Rant over)

Sincerely,

Geoff Greenfield
NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer TM
GLREA Certified Photovoltaic Systems Integrator/Installer License Number
0211-01

THIRD SUN SOLAR AND WIND POWER Ltd.
340 West State Street, Unit 25
Athens, OH 45701

Phone (740) 597-3111
Fax   (740) 597-1548

www.third-sun.com

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