Solutions

SPECIAL CHRISTMAS OFFER

Light up the lives of underprivilleged Kenyans

BASELINE SCENARIO
- 8.5 million households in Kenya, 85% (7 million) of which lack access to modern lighting sources depending primarily on kerosene.
- Limited grid extension and low electrification rate owing to capital constraints.
- Kerosene consumption per annum for illumination estimated at 320,000 tonnes worth in excess of USD 300M (KShs. 23B).
- Carbon emmissions from kerosene based lighting estimated at more than 1 billion tons of CO2 per year.
- Low income households spending proportionately more for lighting than high income households, situation worsened by high inflation.
- Low quality kerosene based lighting contributes to respiratory and eye-related illnesses, limited evening studies for children, fire risk and a low quality life.

SOLUTIONS
Modern lighting can:
-Expanding production, enriching income opportunities, improving working conditions, and increasing customers by increasing working hours.
-Enhance outdoor night time security
-Expand time for student reading and studying, and improve grades and school retention rates
-Provide opportunities for adult literacy and higher education programs
-Improve health services delivery and thus reduce productivity loss due to illnesses

New advancements in technology especially solar energy and light emitting diodes (LEDs), promise clean, portable, durable, lower cost, higher quality lighting and accessible lighting and energy solutions for powering radios for information and recharging mobile phones for communication.

For the solution to be viable, it must be low cost, simple to use and easy to maintain and repair.

SOLAR WORLD’S ANSWERS

12W KIT
A medium sized portable solar lighting system incorporating a 12W amorphous silicon solar panel, a 10AH sealed solar battery, a 3A solar charge controller and two LED bulbs with cable and switch. The unit is ideal for a medium size family of up to 5 and has provision for mobile charging and powering a small transistor radio for up to 10 hours.

POWERPACK
A small portable solar lighting system incorporating a 5W amorphous silicon solar panel, a 7AH sealed solar battery, a 2A solar charge controller and two LED bulbs with cable and switch. The unit is ideal for a small family of up to 3 persons and has provision for mobile phone charging and powering a small transistor radio for up to 6 hours.

RENT-A-LIGHT (KODESHA MWANGAZA) PROJECT
OBJECTIVE: To address the need for an affordable modern lighting solution among low-income
communities by eliminating the biggest barrier to adoption of modern lighting solutions – cost, through
use of powerpacks.

RATIONALE: More than 80% of Kenyans, in particular the vulnerable groups living in slum areas lack
access to the national grid and depend primarily on fossil fuels for their lighting needs, leading to
respiratory diseases and environmental hazards associated with indoor air pollution. While there are
several off-grid solutions available to this market including solar energy, the initial cost of these
alternatives prohibits their uptake on a large scale. Addressing the energy needs of this bottom segment
requires innovative service delivery models that increase access to modern energy on a sustainable basis,
while at the same time remain affordable to the vast majority.

INNOVATION/ECPECTED RESULTS: By providing rental Powerpacks, this project makes
electricity affordable for the majority of urban poor, rural households and slum dwellers. The rental
system allows the consumer flexibility of renting a fully charged Powerpack from designated distributors
in the neighborhood without having to invest in an off-grid power source, such as a solar panel. The
project will set up 100 distribution agents and 10 service centers for the Powerpacks to reach
approximately 8,000 households within 18 months. In addition the Powerpack will be used for mobile
charging and powering radios, and it will create a new market concept for portable electrical energy
distribution among the poor in Kenya.

These products while serving consumers have the capacity to bolster local commerce, creat jobs, enhance incomes, clean the air, and improve health, safety, and quality of life. As we prepare to usher in the holiday season, it is our strong belief that someone will consider extending a helping hand to someone in need through provision of a solar lighting kit that will change lives in ways one cannot possibly imagine.