indeed! having lived in india, i get particularly excited by projects that could provide grid-free lighting and clean water to rural areas.
also, a quick plug for my blog [http://aleverlongenough.wordpress.com/] rounding up projects like this - it was unfortunately short-lived because life got busy, but i hope to restart it in 2013.
yes, in the long term i agree, but extending the grid's reach and capacity happens slowly, and in the mean time the poor lead miserable lives. these low-tech stopgap measures are things they can do now to improve their lot, for little up-front cost (in business terms, the grid has lower opex, but way higher capex)
also, a quick plug for my blog [http://aleverlongenough.wordpress.com/] rounding up projects like this - it was unfortunately short-lived because life got busy, but i hope to restart it in 2013.