Dubai's Pioneering Example could be Replicated Across South Asia

Gulf News has this article about a pioneering new initiative to build solar powered sheltered bus stops in Dubai. While the wealthy Middle Eastern Emirate makes a lot of money from oil and gas, its Arab rulers have been smart enough to understand that the fierce sun that shines down on them, could be put to work making them comfortable. Typically, for a wealthy country, Dubai's "bus shelters" are airconditioned and designed to be like high end waiting rooms. Much positive inspiration could be derived from this, though, across South Asia, a region that sends millions of people to work in Dubai, its surrounding Emirates, and in other countries in the region. I'll bet that a majority of the laborers who set these bus shelters up, many of the site-managers and other professionals involved, were all South Asians. And, while South Asia might not get UAE levels of solar DNI except for some desert regions, the entire region still receives enough sunlight to run a lot of equipment. And, the bus shelters don't need to be as expensive or elaborate as in Dubai. Now, if only South Asian countries could put solar PVs on bus and train stop roofs, and use them to drive fans underneath to keep passengers warm when it gets hot (or possibly ceramic heaters to provide warmth in those spots where it gets cold) it just might make public transport more attractive. Let's hope that it happens!