Off grid charging-enlightening please?

[Stan. SWAN]

Feedback on my recent trials has left me a tad disheartened about off
grid XO-1 charging, & I wonder if you fine developer folk can help
enlighten me. Just WHAT is presently being used in all these issued XO
regions where schools can't even stretch to a light,rest-rooms or
running water????

There are those who say $$$($)($) of centralized solar PV thrown at
this problem by donors may ease the pain,and some (myself included)
favour personal PVs, while others indicate 2010s glorious XO-2 will
run "on the smell of an oily electron". If the latter IS indeed so,
then why bother?   My concern relates RIGHT NOW to  XO rollouts in
ultra cash strapped New Guinea & the Solomon Islands, since  visions
of white (ah- green?) elephants tossed into a jungle school cupboard
are arising. Nigeria's 2007 Galadima school experiences have been
mentioned by the cynical =>
http://www.olpcnews.com/countries/nigeria/olpc_nigeria_one_year_later.html
.

But wait -apparently some of the many churches in these Pacific
regions have budgets that stretch to (evening) generators!  Can't you
just see the kids with flat battery XOs waiting around after school
for this to kick in! Ah-of course secular education wouldn't be
threatened with "a charge for a prayer" obligation would it?  I'm so
confused that my XO enthusiasm is under scrutiny...

Stan
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Stan. SWAN - Educator/writer/consultant (ICT-Electronics-Sustainable Energy)
EMAIL: => stan.swan at gmail.com      & (Work)   => stan.swan at weltec.ac.nz
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