It was a sunny day in MysticaLand. Verum and her friends were lying down in Felix’s garden, enjoying the sun. Felix said, “How lucky we are to have the sun! It gives us light, warmth, and energy.”
You’re right about that,” said Orak, “The sun can be a constant source of energy for Mysticals and humans. In fact, several devices can convert solar power to electricity.”
Silence fell upon the Mysticals once again. But it was soon broken by a familiar humming sound. Scorch said, “Verum, did you get your crystal ball?”
“Yeah, I did,” said Verum, taking out her crystal ball from her bag, “I didn’t want to miss out on any news. Oh, today’s news is also about solar power. Lebanon, a country in the Middle East, is experiencing a solar power boom.”
“Yay!” cheered Felix, “It’s great news when more and more people turn towards renewable energy.”
“Well, That’s not the reason. People in Lebanon are forced to turn towards solar energy and mostly the wealthy are opting for it,” replied Verum with a serious expression.
“I don’t understand, Verum, please explain?” said a confused Felix.
“Lebanon was once called the Switzerland of the Middle East because of its financial power and stability in the 1950s and 1960s. But that is no longer the case. Right now, it’s going through a major economic meltdown. At least 60% of the country’s population has been pushed into poverty,” said Verum.
“Oh, no,” said Orak.
“Due to the ongoing crisis, the government couldn’t secure enough fuel,” continued Verum, “This has led to long queues outside gas stations. Because of the fuel shortage, the state-owned Electricité du Liban can provide only two hours of electricity every day. In some areas, the electricity has even been shut off.”
“Privately-owned generators have to provide electricity for the remaining 22 hours. But as the demand is far more than the supply, these generators have been really expensive,” added Verum, “So, people have begun installing solar power systems. That way, they can have access to some electricity.”
“That’s a good solution,” said Scorch.
“It is,” said Verum, “But installing solar power systems is quite expensive. So, only the rich Lebanese who have fresh dollars can afford solar power. The rest of the country is trapped in blackouts.”
Fresh dollars are United States Dollars (USD) directly from abroad sent by Lebanese people living outside the country.
Verum and Scorch sighed.
