It’s this kind of innovation that has made it possible to extend the benefits of modern conveniences to more places than ever before. In some cases, though, there are obstacles beyond geographic isolation and engineering limitations to contend with.

Take for example war-torn Afghanistan, where Foster spent two and a half years on development projects and where Tony Woods of Sustainable Energy Services is now involved in a 10-month effort to bring 1 MW of renewable energy to 2,500 households in Bamyan Province. Woods, the owner and director of the New Zealand-based company, faces complicated logistics as a for-profit enterprise.

“We have to be pretty careful,” he tells PLANET. “It just becomes very difficult to move people and materials around the country and stay on time contractually. It’s difficult to operate commercially in an environment where you’ve got a shooting match going on.”

Despite the flying bullets, the company has managed to build solar, wind, and hydro systems throughout Afghanistan and less volatile portions of Central and South Asia. It has done so operating on a model that emphasizes financial self-reliance over perpetual dependence on charity once the installation costs have been covered.