[RE-wrenches] Ishaq M. Shahryar passing - Memorial

Wed Apr 15 14:27:57 PDT 2009

Hi, Walt

You are correct about what you point out below, especially the closing statement.  It's a madhouse sometimes dealing with under-developed areas.  I did that quite a bit in past years in Africa and S. America primarily and somewhat in Eastern Europe too.  This was mostly for various global missionary operations, etc.  But these endeavors were more ancillary activities to my primary market activities which were industrial systems and OEM clients, such as Motorola.  That was when I ran the Eastern US distribution office for the old Photocomm.  I had one large client in Zaire [since re-named again to the Congo] which had huge requirements for various medical power systems - entire hospitals, over 200 remote clinics, nursing schools, staff housing, etc.  That was the ISROS Project [US AID/United Methodist Church - Global Missions].  Even then there were highly unstable political/military conditions preventing deployment of those system materials.  I could have gone there to "supervise" but we sent an engineer instead since I had my hands full already running the regional distribution office.  Good thing too probably.  My engineer was arrested as soon he deplaned by the military in Zaire.  For nearly a month he was held incommunicado for reasons we only learned of later once the US Embassy got involved.  On top of that, there was the business of local armed brigands trying to heist the trucks while they were struggling to make headway toward the remoter areas to make the necessary materials dropoffs.  This whole scenario went on for close to two years.  So, I have to tip my hat to someone like yourself who's working under somewhat similar circumstances presumably.  And, yes, these people really need that stuff desperately.  It's not a matter of .. consumer discretionary spending .. for them.  It's a matter of life and death most times.  Barring remedy, they are cooked.  Even more, UPS and Fed Ex won't be making convenient weekly deliveries to them any time soon, if ever.  They don't fancy making deliveries in war zones anyway.  Frankly, who could blame them?  But something resembling life must still go on, somehow.  I have no idea how they do it, truthfully.  Naked perseverance is my best guess.  It seems a tale of two utterly differing worlds.  I would suppose that in these current days things are even more queer than ever.  Assuming one can even imagine that.

Jim

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Walt Ratterman 
  To: 'RE-wrenches' 
  Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2009 2:03 PM
  Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Ishaq M. Shahryar passing - Memorial

  Hello James,

  I hear what you are saying about Afghanistan and from your perspective, you certainly make a lot of terrific points.

  Done correctly though, these systems can be put to use beneficially to save lives all over the world.  The places that are at war are the more difficult ones because of the risks involved.  Sustainability sometimes has to be re-defined.  But lives are saved, and in large numbers.  

  I work extensively in Burma in the middle of ethnic cleansing areas and have so for years.  I have worked a good bit in Afghanistan, including only weeks after 9/11, and last year.  In some ways (in many ways) they need help more now than they did in late 2001.  

  The difficulty is doing things in large quantities effectively, and working through governments.  In most cases neither is feasible.

  Thanks a lot for your thoughts.

  Walt 

  Walt Ratterman

  SunEnergy Power International

  11 Laurel Lane South     Washougal, WA   98671

  (360)-837-3680   ▪   fax (360)-837-1315   ▪   Skype  Walt-Mobile

  wratterman at SunEPI.org   ▪   www.SunEPI.org

  From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of James A. Hartley
  Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2009 11:12 AM
  To: RE-wrenches
  Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Ishaq M. Shahryar passing - Memorial

  Well, that might be a good gesture in principle which I'd consider assuming times were better, and different.  But they aren't, yet should be.  That's the sort of thing technology might and should embrace in such turbulent times as these especially.  But it won't do so for that intended purpose I suspect.  The west is more concerned that the Afghan poppy fields are continually well played in the so-called free market.  And the black market too.  Then there is the big issue of who controls those critical oil transport conduits.  One also has to wonder how long a million solar modules would withstand a thousand bomb blasts in that current envirionment.  I've never been there to assess the possibilities.  My former Russian wife was there, serving as a Russian army officer in the 1980s, live-fire combat situations no less.  It was really ugly stuff.  I could tell it had changed her deeply.  She was damaged in the heart.  Still is I suspect. That's what that shit does.  The Russians are some real tough nuts, but you don't mess with the Afghans.  Several "empires" tried it over the centuries.  They all failed.  Then again, try another approach to them - like solar power.  They might "buy it" because they could use a beneficial outlet for their own better energies.  In that sense Shahryar could truly see his work rewarded meaningfully somehow.  There you go, Obama.  Change the world constructively.  I dare ya.  Surprise me.  But I'd sooner count on people in the streets first.  Enough of politics.  There's serious work to be done.  Thank you, Mr. Shahryar.  I used to compete with you years ago.  You were a straight shooter.  Even when I had to hide behind a rock, you had wicked aim.  We fought well. Go in peace.

    ----- Original Message ----- 

    From: bill roush 

    To: re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org 

    Cc: RE Marketing for home scale RE industry 

    Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2009 10:33 AM

    Subject: [RE-wrenches] Ishaq M. Shahryar passing - Memorial

    I would think a good memorial would be for the US to honor him with a gift of millions of solar panels, BOS and the training to go with it, in his name, to Afghanistan. 

    Date: Mon, 13 Apr 2009 21:01:56 -0700
    From: "Joel  Davidson" <joel.davidson at sbcglobal.net>
    Subject: [RE-wrenches] Ishaq M. Shahryar passed away Sunday evening,
           April 12,       2009
    To: "RE-wrenches" <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
    Message-ID: <074306F1DA0F4B87AC8F52CF654C225F at JOEL>
    Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
           reply-type=response

    I am sad to say that our dear friend Ishaq M. Shahryar passed away Sunday
    evening, April 12, 2009. Mr. Shahryar was well known in the solar industry
    as the successful founder of Solec International, the first terrestrial
    solar cell factory. The New Scientist magazine titled him The Sun King and
    reported that he "virtually invented solar power as a serious energy
    source." Mr. Shahryar loved America and his native homeland, Afghanistan. In
    2002, the former Afghan King Mohammad Zahir Shah asked Mr. Shahryar to
    represent his homeland which he accepted to become the first Afghan
    Ambassador to the United States since 1978. His Excellency, Ambassador
    Shahryar served pro bono and also invested much of his own money in the
    embassy. After serving as Ambassador, Mr. Shahryar returned to California to
    start a new solar company, Sun King Solar. The solar industry, Afghanistan,
    his family, and his many friends will miss Ishaq dearly. He is survived by
    his wife, Hafizah, son, Alexander, and daughter, Jahan.

    The funeral service will be held 1:00PM, Saturday, April 18, 2009 at the
    Hollywood Hills Forest Lawn Memorial Park, 6300 Forest Lawn Drive, Los
    Angeles, California 90068 (tel 800-204-3131).

    Sincerely,

    Joel Davidson

    -- 
    Best,
    Bill Roush
    Heartland Solar Energy Industries Association
    www.hseia.org
    Heartland Renewable Energy Society
    www.heartland-res.org

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