| "I bet regulatory red tape in Gaza isn't hard" >> You realize that the borders are entirely closed and that hardware can only be brought in with the Israeli army's approval, right? I know a startup founder in Gaza who had to wait 8 months for an Arduino. Nowadays Gaza Sky Geeks brings small equipment to Gaza for founders, but solar panels are a whole other story. Here's the FAQ from the campaign page: Why aren't you fundraising for solar panels? We care deeply about the environment and wish we could use solar panels! We hope solar energy is in Gaza Sky Geeks’ future. In the short term, a generator and fuel are the best option for us because: Import restrictions make solar an unreliable option: Items brought in and out of Gaza are subject to restrictions. As a result, panels and maintenance parts may not always be available. Also, solar panels only recently became available in Gaza, which means that maintenance/expertise in solar technology is still nascent. The building we rent cannot accommodate solar: We rent our space and do not have rights to the roof of our building. Even if we did, our building’s roof is covered in water heaters and does not have enough space for the number of solar panels we would need to power a space of our size. Power consistency and ability to meet peak demand is critical when we are running a professional space and charging other companies rent. Due to import restrictions and lack of roof space, we cannot yet guarantee uptime with solar the way we can with a generator. Solar would cost much more: Through an agreement we have with the United Nations, we receive fuel at a 65% discount to market prices, making it significantly cheaper than solar. In addition, solar is a high up-front investment ($20-30k at a minimum). -- NOTE: I'm the co-founder of Gaza Sky Geeks and lived there for 2 years. |