26/11/15

From oil man to solar entrepreneur in Africa

field of solar panels
Copyright: Ian Teh/Panos

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As a young geologist, Jeremy Leggett admits he was “a creature of the oil and gas industry”. But he soon grasped that exploitating fossil fuels could spell disaster for the planet’s climate.
 
This sudden realisation changed the course of his life: Leggett became a lobbyist for environmental campaigners Greenpeace and later founded the solar panel company Solarcentury.
 
Today, Solarcentury gives five per cent of its profits to Solar Aid, a charity that provides solar lighting to rural Africans in an effort to phase out fossil fuel-based lighting for good.
 
In this interview, Leggett tells his life journey and reflects on ways to respond to climate change while aiding development.