Electricity for a better quality of life
Siemens installs solar panels for families with no access to the public power grid in rural communities in Mexico.
families from ten rural communities are benefiting from the aid project.
The Mexican state of Querétaro is located in central Mexico about two hours northwest of Mexico City. While the capital Santiago de Querétaro has a good infrastructure, many highland villages and farms are accessible only by unpaved roads. Here, 30,000 people still live without running water and do not have access to the public power grid. As a result, families spend almost 40% of their income on alternative energies such as wood, candles and batteries. This makes light and electricity precious commodities to be used sparingly. The opportunities to read a book, listen to the radio, and watch TV are few and far between. Consequently, schooling and information are on a comparatively low level in the mountains of Querétaro. With the project “Luz cerca des todos” (“Light close to everyone”), Siemens aims to bring affordable light to those faraway communities. This project does not only bring light to the people, but increases schooling and quality of life in general. More people are able to study and read after twilight. Moreover, it has a positive impact on the environment, as the energy comes from renewable sources.
Achieve more by working together
To carry out the project, Siemens set up a team focusing on supplying materials and the installation of solar panels. This team works closely with the government of Querétaro. The company also provided appropriate training in using the solar panels to the community members. For the aid project, Siemens developed a strong integrated communication concept including a documentary film to engage more partners in supporting those communities.
In spring 2012, 182 families from ten communities benefited from the new, individual power systems which considerably improve the quality of their lives. The availability of light is expected to extend the population’s school attendance by an average 3.2 years. The community kiosk refrigerators will also be supplied, enabling local storage of vaccines and medicines. Finally, cell phones will now be able to be charged and used by the community’s inhabitants in case of an emergency ambulance call.
With the initial support of Siemens, the project is continuing with new government partnerships. Eurocopter EADS recently announced the donation of 200 solar panels. The government has created an Advisory Council led by Siemens which will promote the project on several forums to engage further partners.
2011-Feb-28 | Author
- Corporate citizenship - Reference projects
- Overview
- Electricity for a better life
- Fostering sustainable behavior
- Enhancing living conditions
- Helping disaster victims
- Next generation of natural scientists
- Supporting technical education
Videos
"Luz cerca de todos" – Families in rural Mexico gain solar power (3:47 min)