Greenstar
Pressroom
Greenstar
Middle
East
Pilot
Installation
background
press
information
and
FAQ
(Frequently
Asked
Questions)
updated
4-23-99
Click
here
for
some
detailed
demographic
and
economic
facts
about
the
West
Bank
(Palestine),
the
site
of
the
first
Greenstar
installation.
A
10-page
version
of
all
pressroom
material,
including
photos,
may
be
downloaded
here.
(approx.
3
Mbytes;
requires
Adobe
Acrobat)
What
is
unique
about
this
event,
and
about
the
Greenstar
installation
at
Al-Kaabneh?
The
installation
of
components
of
Greenstar
in
the
village
of
Al-Kaabneh
marks
a
number
of
"firsts"
in
the
combination
of
solar
energy
and
allied
technologies.
- This
will
be
the
first
combination
of
solar
and
wireless,
real-time,
two-way
communications
for
a
rural
population,
aimed
at
improving
the
quality
of
life
and
at
local
wealth
creation.
- It
will
be
the
first
solar-powered
wireless
communication
link
that
uses
the
Internet
to
network
a
rural
population
to
urban
areas,
and
to
international
sites.
- It
marks
introduction
of
the
global
"Greenstar"
brand,
which
is
characterized
by
the
use
of
clean,
renewable
energy
to
generate
local
revenues,
and
concentrates
on
producing
economic
independence
as
opposed
to
fostering
a
dependence
on
international
aid.
First-day
installation
photos
from
Al-Kaabneh.
Click
on
the
photos
to
see
detail,
and
get
reproduction-quality
images.
Where
is
Al-Kaabneh?
What
is
it
like,
and
who
lives
there?
The
town
is
located
within
Hebron
District,
about
40
km.
southeast
of
the
city
of
Hebron,
15
km.
east
of
Yatta.
120
houses
are
distributed
right
and
left
of
an
asphalt
street,
10
km
in
length.
Most
houses
are
built
adjacent
to
each
other
in
small
groups
of
five
homes.
Drinking
water
comes
from
a
cement
storage
tank.
The
inhabitants
earn
their
living
through
raising
cattle,
tending
herds
of
sheep
and
goats,
and
in
growing
wheat
and
barley;
some
residents
also
work
in
nearby
Israeli
settlements.
Al-Kaabneh
has
about
2000
residents;
there
are
86
children
attending
a
small
elementary
school.
The
village
at
present
has
no
electricity,
and
no
running
water,
and
there
are
no
plans
to
bring
conventional
electric
service
to
the
town.
The
settlement
is
also
referred
to
as
Arab
Al-Kaabneh
and
Arab
Kaabneh.
See
the
attached
map.
Where
will
Greenstar
be
installed,
specifically?
Who
will
run
it?
The
system
will
be
installed
on
the
grounds
of
the
school
and
clinic,
which
are
are
about
50
feet
apart.
The
water
purifier
is
being
installed
in
the
school
for
the
children's
drinking
water;
the
vaccine
refrigerator
will
be
used
by
the
clinic.
There
is
a
teacher
in
the
school
to
operate
the
computer
and
internet
communications
set-up.
Ongoing
operations
support
is
being
funded
by
the
United
Nations
Development
Programme.
Local
logistics
and
management
will
come
from
the
Palestinian
Energy
Authority,
and
from
the
village
authorities
themselves;
a
written
agreement
on
sharing
of
responsibilities
has
been
signed
by
the
PEA
and
the
President
of
the
Al-Kaabneh
village
council.
Photos
taken
on
the
day
of
installation.
Click
on
the
photos
to
see
detail,
and
get
reproduction-quality
images.
How
much
electrical
power
will
be
produced
by
the
solar
array?
Is
it
enough
for
the
whole
village?
20
kilowatt-hours
per
day
of
electricity
will
be
produced
by
the
pilot
Greenstar
solar
array.
This
is
the
amount
of
power
used
by
an
average
American
urban
home.
It
is
more
than
one
month's
electricity
for
a
rural
home.
The
power
from
Greenstar
will
be
shared
among
several
systems
used
by
the
entire
community
of
Al-Kaabneh,
including
a
water
purifier,
vaccine
cooler,
a
digital
cellular
antenna
for
access
to
data
networks,
a
radio
amplifier,
recorder,
TV,
computer,
fax
and
copying
machine.
This
pilot
installation
is
not
intended
to
supply
the
basic
electrical
needs
of
the
population.
To
accomplish
this,
according
to
an
October
1998
study
by
the
Palestinian
Energy
Authority
and
EcoPeace,
a
total
of
80
kilowatt-hours
would
be
required.
Are
there
other
Palestinian
villages
similar
to
Al-Kaabneh,
which
may
also
need
Greenstar
solar
centers?
According
to
a
study
by
the
Palestinian
Energy
Authority
and
EcoPeace
in
October
1998,
titled
"Middle
East
Solar
Energy
Zone
Project,
a
Scientific,
Economic
and
Sociological
Feasibility
Study"',
there
are
more
than
75
villages,
towns
and
settlements
in
the
West
Bank,
ranging
in
population
from
under
100
to
10,000,
which
currently
have
no
regular
electrical
power
from
a
public
utility.
They
are
identified
as
possible
beneficiaries
of
solar
power;
the
total
affected
population
would
be
more
than
80,000
people.
See
the
attached
chart
for
details.
The
study
was
conducted
by
Mr.
Ghalib
Shanti
-
Solar
Energy
Engineer
and
Dr.
Marwan
Mahrnoud
of
the
Renewable
Energy
Research
Center,
chartered
by
the
Palestinian
Hydrology
Group,
Shu'
fat-Jerusalem.
Photos
taken
on
the
day
of
installation.
Click
on
the
photos
to
see
detail,
and
get
reproduction-quality
images.
What's
next
for
Greenstar?
The
next
Greenstar
installation
is
planned
for
India
(where
systems
have
been
ordered,
and
scheduled
for
delivery
in
spring,
1999).
The
group
also
plans
to
investigate
how
Greenstar
may
serve
"First
Nation"
peoples
in
the
US
Southwest
and
Alaska,
and
may
provide
assistance
in
the
ongoing
recovery
from
Hurricane
Mitch
in
Central
America.
In
February,
1999,
preliminary
results
of
the
Al-Kaabneh
pilot
will
be
announced
by
the
Palestinian
Energy
Authority,
the
United
Nations
Development
Programme
and
Greenstar.
Photos
taken
on
the
day
of
installation.
Click
on
the
photos
to
see
detail,
and
get
reproduction-quality
images.
This
page
is
at
http://www.greenstar.org/pressroom
Complete
information
available
at
http://www.greenstar.org
.
Press
releases
at
http://www.greenstar.org/news.htm
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