Solar for the Poor

Our intrepid energy reporter Jenn Kho is in Germany this week for the world's largest solar conference, where she has uncovered cool stories about turning sunlight into electricity. Her latest is about a discussion on making solar energy affordable for developing countries (see Solar Energy for the Poor). An intriguing proposition, no? Some of the fast-growing developing countries also are energy-hungry, so turning them away from conventional power-generating technologies is a good idea. Think of China's massive Three Gorges Dam, for example. Not that industrialized nations such as the United States shouldn't do the same, of course.