Using crops in a unique barter system, a new microfinance project in the Solomon Islands has successfully implemented a solar lighting finance scheme, enabling communities to trade crops for much needed access to light.

A team of renewable energyRenewable energy is power generated from infinite sources, such as wind or solar power. Conventional energy is generated from finite sources, such as natural gas or fossil oil. developers working for SOPAC, the Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission, and funded by REEEPThe Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) is a non-profit, specialist change agent aiming to catalyse the market for renewable energy and energy efficiency, with a primary focus on emerging markets and developing countries., recently completed the first year pilot that formed the basis of the new micro energyThe ability to perform work, mainly kinetic, potential, thermal energy, but also in forms of gravitational, sound, elastic and electromagnetic energy. service company concept. 

If the islanders were not able to pay for solar lanterns with cash, reasoned the project developers, why not pay with crops?

Bartering is quite commonplace in the region and crops are often exchanged for fish, for instance.  Through simple lateral thinking, an innovative microfinance scheme has been invented in which crops are exchanged, not for food, but for another commodity – electricityA form of energy having magnetic, radiant and chemical effects. Electric current is created by a flow of electrons.. 

The project developers focused on LED lightsIn Light Emitting Diodes the current flows in one direction only, from the anode, to the cathode. Charge-carriers are electrons and holes, and as they meet energy is released in the form of a photon. – an innovative, energy saving lighting system – powered by a solar photovoltaicPhotovoltaics (PV) is the field of technology and research related to the application of solar cells for energy by converting sunlight directly into electricity. Solar power is sometimes used as a synonym to refer to electricity generated from solar radiation. panel and installed in individual homes and municipal buildings.

To pay for the investment, the local people, most of whom are farmers, plant enough cassava, dalo, banana and other crops as is necessary to make the planned monthly repayments.  They take the crops to a cash-for-crops exchange which arranges to repay the banks.  Ideally it is envisaged that the system is paid off within 24 months. 

While it is a simple idea, the cash for crops centre, the hub of this pilot project which affects 35 properties in three villages in the Solomon Islands, has not been tried elsewhere on a major scale. 

The solar entrepreneur in the Solomon Islands intends to install at least 5,000 lighting systems within the next three years.