Solar panels

are providing solutions for North Koreans who constantly struggle with an

unreliable source of state electricity , enabling them to generate their own

power, the Daily NK has learned. Solar panels have become among the assets

considered essential for life in North Korea by allowing households to connect

them to rechargeable batteries which can power lights and household appliances,

according to a local source.

“Now,

it doesn’t matter whether we get power from the state.

With these solar panels, we can use electricity,” The South Pyongan Province-based source reported to the Daily NK on Thursday, “To try to solve the power shortage issues, people have been saving up to

somehow buy these solar panels.”

“Just

a few years ago, only Party cadres were able to use the panels, but now, the

prices have gone down significantly, allowing roughly 40 percent of people to

use them,” she explained.

Solar panels

sold in North Korean marketplaces are produced in the Chinese cities of Beijing

and Shanghai. A 10W panel goes for 80 RMB; a 30W sells for 240 RMB; a 50W version for

400 RMB; and a 100W model fetches 800 RMB.

According to

the source, factors such as class and sector greatly influence solar panel

usage among North Korea’s residents. The 100W panel powers mills and individual businesses; the 50W is mainly

for donju [the new affluent middle class], and the 30W serves average

residents.

With the

panels, people are even able to charge their wet cell [135A] and dry cell [28A,

55A] car batteries, as well as motorbike batteries [12A]. Car and motorbike

batteries have long been essential items utilized by residents to charge items within their homes. The dry cell batteries have been introduced

more recently, and as the name implies, do not require liquid solutions.

The 100W solar panel that is sold in

Sinuiju and Pyongsong markets connects to 135A car batteries. A 50W solar panel

needs to be paired up with a 55A battery, and a 30W with a 28A one in

order to charge power. Depending on the output of electricity, the suitable

battery type needs to be adequately matched up with the proper panel.

The 28A battery at Sinuiju and Pyongsong

markets is sold for roughly 30 USD. “The 30W solar

panel and 28A battery set makes up for 70 percent of the sales and are used by

the average person,” the source explained.

[Exchange rate: 1 USD = 8,200 KPW, as of October 15th at Sinuiju Market]

When it comes to devices that run on solar

power, the source said, “Depending on the size of

the display, there are 9-inch, 16-inch ‘notetel’ [a type of portable media player from China],

and the 40-inch TV set ‘Chollyong’ which is a North Korean rip-off of a Chinese model.” She explained that the 9-inch models are for the average household,

while the 16-inch and ‘Chollyong’ versions are for Party cadres and the donju.

“Traders and some donju, unlike the average

household, use 700W solar panels and large TV screens, and they usually run two

to three panels to power air conditioners and refrigerators as well.”

To buy a 30W solar panel, a compatible

battery, and a flat screen TV, it costs at least 700 RMB [roughly 900,000 KPW].

Considering that the average daily income of a vendor at the market is roughly

5,000 -20,000 KPW, the cost is substantial. “People

save up money for roughly a year, and purchase the solar panel set as their

most treasured asset,” the source explained. “In the end, people are buying their electricity at the markets as

well.”