During one of my visits to the United States, I mentioned to a Cameroonian nurse that I run a solar energy company in Cameroon.
Her reaction caught me off guard.
“Solar in Cameroon is a scam,” she said firmly.
“They charge you so much for all those batteries. Here in America, I have solar on my house and I don’t even have batteries. And honestly, I don’t even see how it helps me. When I go back home, I’ll just buy a generator.”
That conversation stayed with me.
Not because she disagreed — but because it exposed a widespread misunderstanding among many in the diaspora.
The issue isn’t that solar doesn’t work.
The issue is that people are comparing two completely different energy environments.
Solar in the United States: Optimization
In most urban areas in the U.S., residential solar systems are grid-tied.
This means:
- No battery storage
- The house stays connected to the utility grid
- Solar panels power the home during the day
- Excess energy is exported to the grid for credits (net metering)
If solar production drops, the grid automatically supplies power.
The goal of solar in the U.S. is typically simple:
Reduce electricity bills.
It is not primarily designed for energy survival.
The grid is stable. Outages are rare. Voltage fluctuations are minimal.
Battery systems exist, but they are optional and often installed only in rural or high-outage areas.
In short, solar in the U.S. is an economic optimization tool.
Solar in Cameroon: Energy Security
Now let’s examine Cameroon.The energy landscape is fundamentally different:
- Frequent power outages
- Voltage instability
- Load shedding
- Areas with limited or unreliable grid access
In this context, solar is not about shaving a few dollars off a monthly bill.
It is about continuity.
It is about protection.
It is about maintaining:
- Refrigeration
- Medical equipment
- Business operations
- Boreholes
- Internet connectivity
- Basic household comfort
And here is the critical difference:
Without batteries, solar panels shut off during grid outages.
That surprises many people.
A grid-tied system without storage cannot function when the grid fails. It is designed that way for safety reasons.
So in Cameroon — where outages are common — battery storage is not an “extra.”
It is essential infrastructure.
Why the “Too Many Batteries” Argument Fails
When diaspora Cameroonians compare systems, they often say:
“Why so many batteries? In America we don’t need them.”
That comparison ignores context.
You are comparing:
A stable-grid optimization model
to
An unstable-grid survival model
They solve different problems.
Removing batteries to cut cost in Cameroon is like installing a car without fuel storage and expecting it to run when supply stops.
You may save money upfront.
But when the lights go out, the system fails.
And then people say: “Solar doesn’t work.”
No.
The system was improperly designed for the environment.
The Generator Illusion
Generators are often seen as the “simpler” alternative
But consider the reality:
- Continuous fuel costs
- Rising fuel prices
- Maintenance expenses
- Noise
- Engine wear and replacement
Generators are recurring expense machines.
A properly sized solar + battery system is a capital investment with long-term cost stability.
Different philosophy. Different economics.
Same Sun. Different Reality.
Solar technology itself does not change between countries
But infrastructure does.
Policy does.
Grid stability does.
Usage goals do.
In the United States, solar brings comfort and savings.
In Cameroon, solar brings survival and comfort.
Understanding that distinction is crucial — especially for diaspora investors planning installations back home.
Final Thought for the Diaspora
Before labeling solar in Cameroon as a scam, ask one question:
Are you evaluating it through the correct lens?
Energy systems are contextual.
Engineering is contextual.
What works in Houston or Toronto cannot be copy-pasted into Douala or Yaoundé without adaptation.
The sun is the same.
The grid is not.
And that difference changes everything.
