Until recently, James Mbugua, a Kenyan farmer living in Karai, relied on kerosene to light his house, and a car battery to power his television, Maina Waruru reports for Thomson Reuters Foundation. Now, however, an affordable solar system powers his home with cheap, clean, reliable energy.

“I could not go on like that and had to seek an alternative way of lighting my house and I discovered that with only $150 I could use solar to light my house and power the television plus radio,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Mbugua is one of millions of individuals across Africa who are capitalizing on the falling prices of home solar systems to provide affordable, clean energy, Waruru reports. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), home solar systems in Africa can now provide electricity for many households for as little as $56 a year – less than the cost of getting energy from diesel or kerosene, IRENA reports.

Image: Sunrise in Mahajanga, Madagascar | Image Credit: oledoe via Flickr