He is also one of the founding directors of Greenstar Foundation , a non-profit organization committed to bringing solar power, telemedicine, distance learning, electronic commerce, manufacturing and agricultural support services to developing countries, and to all places where a centralized electrical power grid is not available. The international IT market is not really international. We're talking about those parts of the developing world that are off the conventional power grid, without electricity and often without phone service. Investments to date by the IT industry in emerging markets emphasize urban areas almost exclusively, leaving these huge rural markets in a permanent economic twilight zone. At Greenstar, we think not. .
Inexpensive electricity is the base requirement.
To deliver electricity to 600,000 new communities would stretch the available physical copper reserves of the planet, making the job virtually impossible. . The rewards, however, could be huge. It's not new, its capabilities are well-understood, and it's in use now in thousands of locations worldwide. That technology is solar photovoltaics, which Greenstar is using to generate dumb voltage electrons for conversion into smart e-commerce electrons. Each panel measures about 4 ft. by 8 ft., and an array of eight panels mounted on the school roof easily powers lights, a copier, a multimedia computer, and soon a satellite dish and water purifier.