SolarAid
SolarAid helps to combat global poverty and climate change by bringing clean, renewable power to the poorest people in the world. Mission: SolarAid aims to enable the world`s poorest people to have clean, renewable power. We believe that through brilliant ideas we can achieve massive, measurable change against some of the biggest problems facing humanity. That`s why we`ve set ourselves a rather audacious goal: to eradicate kerosene lamps from Africa by 2020.
Company details
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- Business Type:
- Non-governmental organization (NGO)
- Industry Type:
- Renewable Energy
- Market Focus:
- Globally (various continents)
- Year Founded:
- 2006
About Us
SolarAid is an international charity that combats poverty and climate change. We are providing access to solar lights in some of the most remote regions of the world and building a movement to eradicate the kerosene lamp.
The problem
598 million people in Africa alone have no access to electricty. Without electricity families have no clean source of light, leaving millions to rely on expensive and dangerous alternatives. Many use homemade kerosene lamps which are a poor source of light; they emit toxic black smoke, eat up to 15% of a family’s income and are are extremely hazardous. Children can’t study at night, the working day ends prematurely and indoor air pollution presents a serious health hazard.
The solution
- With a solar light, everything changes.
- Solar light customers tell us that investing in a solar light saves money, improves health, makes their homes safer and helps children study at night.
- Each solar light shining also means one less kerosene lamp, saving around 200kg of carbon dioxide per year.
Why we sell lights
We are pioneering a truly sustainable model. We created a social enterprise, SunnyMoney, who sell lights via school networks and local enterprises. But why sell them you ask? Well, in short, it allows money to be reinvested back in to our work, encourages job creation and ensures money stays in the local economy. With increasing demand for solar, other players begin to enter the market creating more access then ever before. We are establishing a market that will reach far beyond the lights that SunnyMoney sell. A market that will eventually light up an entire continent and leave a lasting energy legacy.
How
We believe that universal access to renewable energy is the best way to alleviate poverty. And the best way to ensure universal access is through a unique mix of business and innovation.
So in 2006 we set-up a social enterprise,SunnyMoney, who are now the leading seller of solar lights in Africa. SunnyMoney are selling lights fast, they are helping build sustainable markets, they are creating jobs and they are ensuring money stays in the local economy. To put it simply, they are the reason why we have created a brave and ambitious goal; to eradicate the kerosene lamp from Africa by 2020.
But that’s only part of the picture. We’re also helping to create innovative solutions such as pay-as-you-go solar, we’re undertaking large-scale research projects and sharing our knowledge and expertise with partners and like-minded organisations. We know we can’t eradicate the kerosene lamp on our own; so we’re building an alliance, we’re creating a movement.
SunnyMoney
Solar lights are the solution. But what’s the point in having a solution if you can’t get it to the people?
The SunnyMoney Way
- SunnyMoney’s unique community distribution model uses teachers to raise trust and build awareness of solar. Each light shining in the night attracts neighbours and as word spreads the demand for solar lights grows.
- This sparks the market conditions required for local shops and independent agents to be able to sell a range of solar lights profitably within their community so that solar lights become available for people to purchase all year round.SunnyMoney supports these local entrepreneurs by providing marketing campaigns, training and shipping of products.
- SunnyMoney continues to find ways to drivedemand by creating brand awareness, community engagement and media attention. They run promotions and find ways to market new products cost effectively in order to make solar more affordable and meet customers’ increasing demand for bigger and better products, so the market continues to thrive.