PV household systems, to take the most commercially successful, provide only a tiny fraction of the power available from a grid connection. There has, in fact, been a large element of wishful thinking in the promotion of renewable energy technologies. People have tended to look at their advantages rather than being realistic about what is involved in getting them into large-scale use. If things are to change in the future, more hardheaded and realistic attitudes need to be adopted. It must be recognised that the developing world is a harsh environment for most of those living there.
People are poor.
They are at risk from natural and man-made hazards to a degree that is almost inconceivable in the prosperous industrial countries. Because people have so little, they cannot afford to incur additional avoidable costs or take the same risks as rich people. When they make investment decisions, low cost and reliability are of crucial importance. It also needs to be kept in mind that energy is a derived demand. No one wants electricity for itself.