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Bringing Electricity to Africa's Underserved

Lack of inexpensive, reliable energy delivery is one of the chief obstacles to growth and development in much of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Yet today, nearly seventy percent of sub-Saharan Africans lack access to electricity. This, despite the fact that the region has tremendous energy resources, ranging from geothermal, solar, wind and hydro power to significant reserves of natural gas.

That is why last year, President Barack Obama announced Power Africa – a public-private initiative, led by the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, that will significantly increase generation and distribution of power in Sub-Saharan Africa.

“In the 16 months since its launch, Power Africa’s partnerships with African governments, private investors, other donors, and developers have already begun to bring benefits to the people of Africa,” said USAID’s Eric Postel, Assistant to the Administrator for Africa.

The Power Africa initiative helps governments identify the reasons why projects to improve electricity generation and distribution are lagging, and works with them to remove the obstacles as they are identified. Power Africa also works with the private sector to help companies invest in power generation and distribution.

“Power Africa has already helped to financially close deals that will generate more than 3,000 Megawats, which has the potential to provide power for more than 5 million African homes, service providers, and businesses,” said Mr. Postel.

Generating sufficient power is one part of the equation. Delivering it to those who need it is another. Only 18.3 percent of people living in rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa have access to electricity, compared to 55.5 percent of urban dwellers.

That is why Power Africa launched Beyond the Grid, a competition for innovative solutions that develop, scale-up or extend the use of proven technologies for off-grid energy.

“Today, 600 million Africans do not have access to electricity. Hospitals cannot function optimally. Businesses cannot open and children cannot read after dark. Food rots before it makes it to market,” said Mr. Postel. “But it does not have to be this way. Together with our partners in [the U.S.] Congress, Africa, other donor nations, and private businesses, Power Africa is working to greatly increase access to reliable, cleaner energy in Africa.”

词汇解析

decade

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

n.十年

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

Prices have risen steadily during the past decade.

在过去十年里，物价一直在上涨。

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wagon

难度：3星常用词汇，属常用6000词

英汉解释

n.四轮马车；货车

v.用四轮马车运

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

He harnessed the horse to a wagon.

他把马套到四轮马车上。

用作动词 (v.)

They wagoned the goods to the market.

他们用四轮马车把货物运到市常

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dozen

难度：3星常用词汇，属常用6000词

英汉解释

n.(一)打；十二个

adj.一打的；十二个的

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

How much are those apples a dozen?

那些苹果一打多少钱？

用作形容词 (adj.)

My mother bought a dozen eggs.

我妈妈买了一打鸡蛋。

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greatly

英汉解释

adv.很；非常；大大地

参考例句

用作副词 (adv.)

His writing has improved greatly in this semester.

这学期他的写作有了很大进步。

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deadly

难度：3星常用词汇，属常用6000词

英汉解释

adj.致命的；如死一样的

adv.非常地；如死一般地

参考例句

用作形容词 (adj.)

His face had a deadly paleness after the accident.

事故发生以后，他的脸死一般苍白。

用作副词 (adv.)

The good knub will not hurt you deadly.

良性肿瘤不会对你有致命的伤害。

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budget

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

n.预算

vt.编预算；为 ... 做预算

vi.节省开支

adj.廉价的；不贵的

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

Congress has approved the new educational budget.

国会通过了新的教育预算。

用作及物动词 (vt.)

The government has budgeted 10000000 pounds for education spending.

政府将10000000英镑编入教育预算。

用作不及物动词 (vi.)

If we budget carefully, we'll be able to afford a new house.

如果我们精打细算就能买一座新房子了。

用作形容词 (adj.)

You can buy high-quality goods at budget prices there.

你可以在那买到物美价廉的商品。

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spacecraft

难度：2星扩展词汇，属常用10000词

英汉解释

n.宇宙飞船

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

Spacecraft have already traveled to other planets.

宇宙飞船已游览了别的行星。

The spacecraft is orbiting the moon.

宇宙飞船正绕月球飞行。

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