About us
Solanterns is an initiative of Renewable Energy Ventures (K) Ltd., a renewable energy and energy efficiency project developer and advisor (www.africarenewables.com).
In our work, we realized that a significant number of Kenya's rural households will not have access to modern electricity in their lifetime, despite the very ambitious and well intentioned electrification efforts currently underway in the country. And yet, viable and affordable exist in the market today that would enable even the poorest Kenyan to have clean, bright, reliable and affordable lighting. This realization led us to launch the Solanterns Initiative.
The Challenge we seek to address
Kenya has an electrification rate of only 23%. That means, that for 77% of the population, the current lighting option is predominantly kerosene lamps. Yet, the problems with kerosene lamps are well documented including
- respiratory illnesses especially for women and children due to indoor air pollution,
- very high fire hazards,
- cost to the households for purchasing kerosene and
- poor light quality that negatively affects children doing their homework in the evenings.
Fortunately however, a solution exists that addresses all the problems mentioned above. And yes, solar today is more economical than kerosene lamps. Our lanterns retail for KES 2,500.- (approx. USD 25.-) and have a battery life of 3 years before the battery needs to be replaced. So very conservatively, that is KES 833.- a year for lighting compared to KES 3,650.- per year using kerosene lanterns and assuming an average KES 10.- per night worth of kerosene use.
Said another way, a family can buy a solar lantern with the same amount of money they spend on kerosene in 200 days. Which means that until the battery needs replacing, they have free, high quality, environmentally clean and safe lighting solution.
So, if the solution exists and has these attractive attributes, why isn’t everyone switching? Among other reasons, is the lack of awareness and understanding of the solar lantern solution, along with quality and perception problems resulting from substandard lanterns in the market.
Our work then, is to help accelerate the adoption of solar lanterns to replace kerosene lanterns and by so doing, save current poor households from fire risk, respiratory illnesses, poor eyesight and high lighting costs.
So, if the solution exists and has these attractive attributes, why isn’t everyone switching? Among other reasons, is the lack of awareness and understanding of the solar lantern solution, along with quality and perception problems resulting from substandard lanterns in the market.
Our work then, is to help accelerate the adoption of solar lanterns to replace kerosene lanterns and by so doing, save current poor households from fire risk, respiratory illnesses, poor eyesight and high lighting costs.
Awards
We are excited to be one of the recipients of the 2010 SEED Awards that are hosted by the United Nations Environment Program. The SEED Awards recognize inspiring social and environmental entrepreneurs whose businesses can help meet sustainable development challenges.
This Award recognizes our focus on job creation through engaging micro – entrepreneurs in renting out the Sun King Solar lanterns to families that wouldn’t otherwise afford to purchase the lanterns.
We are grateful to SEED Awards and their host, UNEP for recognizing our work and for their support in our plans to expand and replicate this model.