The argument is often made that the poor in developing countries need power more than anything else for their progress. That’s why coal-fired power plants in these countries are promoted. A dozen international poverty and development organizations published a report on the impact of building new coal power plants in countries where a large percentage of the population lacks access to electricity. The report concludes that building coal power plants does little to help the poor, and often it can actually make them poorer. The critical step towards progress comes from access to electricity, not from the power source. Renewables often provide simpler, decentralized access.
