In Haiti, the Sun Shines, Still.

This blog post first appeared in the EarthSpark year end newsletter. If you would like to receive updates directly, please join our mailing list.

EarthSpark's solar-powered microgrids continue to provide some of Haiti's most reliable electricity service to the towns of Les Anglais and Tiburon.

Whoosh – what a year! There’s been a lot to absorb and adapt to. But  –  deep breath  –  the sun still shines. Good things are happening alongside the bad.
 
In the face of overlapping crises, we turn to what we can do. Thankfully, the EarthSpark and Enèji Pwòp teams seem eternally up for the task!

New Thinking on Powering Healthcare

“Who would have thought that gang violence in Haiti would provide such a powerful unintended advertisement for solar energy?” An ever-silver-lining colleague asked ironically last month as major hospitals shut their doors to new patients due to a lack of diesel. The national fuel shortage brought the country to a stand-still in many ways, and critical services closed or were severely curtailed.
 
That was months after the August 14 earthquake had also highlighted the value of local, fuel-free energy systems. Through each of these crises, when other energy systems stopped working, EarthSpark’s solar-powered microgrids continued providing power.

EarthSpark has not previously provided energy services to health facilities, but the earthquake shook the team’s thinking on the topic. We now view it as essential.
 
In Tiburon, the health center’s independent solar system went dark the day of the earthquake, likely due to a combination of old equipment and limited ongoing maintenance. When the nun running the facility called EarthSpark seeking help, the team acted quickly, pulling parts from inventory on hand to replace a broken component and restore power. It was a first tiny step in a new strategy of engagement and assistance for health facilities. The new plan combines microgrid power with onsite solar + battery storage for critical community service providers. We’re still working out the details, but we hope to have the Tiburon health facility connected to the Tiburon microgrid and serving as a first example early in the new year. Read more on our plan here.

New Partnerships in South Sudan

What’s better than one groundbreaking electric cooking pilot project that (we think) can help shift overall policy, funding and system design for energy access? How about two of them?!
 
We’re thrilled to share that EarthSpark is supporting Village Help for South Sudan to adapt our e-cooking pilot for homes and businesses in Wanyjok, South Sudan. The pilot will be powered by South Sudan’s first solar-powered microgrid which is planned for launch next year by local solar company SunGate Solar.

Planning (and Hoping for) Six New Grids

Earlier this year, EarthSpark won provisional approval from the Haitian government for microgrid development and operation in 22 new towns. As a concrete next step, we have been focusing on securing full approval for the next six as a subset of the larger plan. It has been a pleasure (and a lot of work!) interfacing with a broad team in Haiti’s Ministry of Public Works to refine and clarify legal language, technical details, and service offerings. We are hopeful that we will have signed agreements and a green light for the next six microgrids early in the new year.

Two Years in Tiburon!

It was Dec 21, 2019 when power first flowed through the lines of the Tiburon microgrid. By the end of that year, the microgrid had almost 90 connections (including streetlights). Even despite slowdowns because of the COVID-19 pandemic, that figure had jumped to over 380 connections by the middle of 2020 to directly serve about 2000 people.

New connections had been paused awaiting the arrival of components, but with more meters and new connection components now on the way, the team has started pre-wiring houses. Enèji Pwòp now has a waiting list of nearly 400 new customers across the Tiburon and Les Anglais grids. We're aiming to start making those new connections next month.

Images: The Enèji Pwòp team installed 'ready board' plugs and breaker boxes last week in the homes of future microgrid customers in preparation for grid connections.

Soup, Joy, Reflection and Renewal

Tomorrow – January 1 – is Haiti’s Independence Day.  On 01/01/1804, Jean-Jacques Dessalines read Haiti’s Declaration of Independence to a group of assembled generals. People in Haiti tomorrow will gather with family and friends to share the traditional pumpkin soup – soupe joumou – of Independence Day. Each New Year, we all hold hopes and dreams for the year ahead and beyond. Some hopes may seem improbable because they are so bold and different from what is, but let us all take heart that from every moment, a new and promising path is possible.
 
We wish for a peaceful and plentiful 2022 for you, for those in Haiti, and for everyone. Thank you for all you do, and thank you for your support in helping us continue our work.

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What we are reading

Is there an "energy crisis"? Not really — fossil fuels are collapsing, and it's high time

"The Economist calls it "The Energy Shock." Forbes and the Wall Street Journal go further, resurrecting a term from the 1970s: "Energy Crisis." The media is hyperventilating. But what is going on, really? I'd describe it as the first fossil fuel collapse of the clean energy transition, or even as proof that cleaner and faster means cheaper and stable energy." Read the article on Salon.

Exploring the Other Side of Haiti

"While recent news headlines highlight the country’s mounting problems ... I’ve had the chance to see another side of the Caribbean country. In recent years, I’ve been able to discover firsthand how beautiful Haiti is, exploring a country with scenic beaches, rich culture, and delicious cuisine."   Read the article on Afar.

Haitians Proud as Soup Joumou Gains World-class Cultural Icon Status

Haitians are feeling the pride at news that the United Nations Cultural Agency (UNESCO) has added soup joumou to its list of prized intangible cultural heritage items. Being on the intangible heritage list, soup joumou now has protected status by UNESCO. “It is a celebratory dish, deeply rooted in Haitian identity, and its preparation promotes social cohesion and belonging among communities,” the agency said in its announcement Thursday. Read the article on The Haitian Times.