Jorge Merino, Minister of Energy and Mining of Peru said the National Solar Electrification Program will provide poor residents with photovoltaic panels. Merino said: "This program is aimed at the poorest people who do not have access to electric lighting and still use kerosene lamps, spending their own resources to pay for oil, which is detrimental to their health."
The project started in the province of Contumaza in the northeastern region of Cajamarca, where 1,601 solar panels were installed. The Minister of Energy said that by the end of the project in 2016, Peru will have 95% electricity supply, giving access to 66% of the population. The program plans to install 12,500 solar systems to power 500,000 households at a cost of $20 million.
Peru is the third largest country in Latin America with a population of over 24 million people. With its direct sunlight in the Sierra, the foothills of the Andes, it is home to the first major PV plant in Latin America.
If Peru can do this for its people, then why can't other rich countries?