The usual energy sources such as generators, kerosene lamps, candles and batteries are hazardous and a thread to health and environment. As per WHO, each year 1.5 Million people in developing countries die of indoor intoxication by using fire or kerosene indoors for cooking or lighting.

All this results in tremendous expenses for the users. In 2009, African BOP (bottom of pyramid, the poorest of the poor) households spent 10 Billion US$ for non-renewable lighting sources, 50% of it for kerosine light. Lighting Africa predicts this to rise up to 11-12 Billion US$ by 2015.

Solar lights are a healthy, environmental friendly alternative. They are safe, don’t cause dangerous emissions and don’t bare any follow-up cost. Since no money needs to be spent for kerosene or batteries after the purchase, it pays off after a pretty short time. One SOLUX solar light saves 35 Liters of Kerosene per year. Charging the phone through the solar panel alone brings savings of 40 - 120 Euros per user per year.    –bk

Once more SOLUX was officially named as one of the few providers of top solar lights with regards to quality and performance! As a result of our work, SOLUX was invited to cooperate at the highest level as ‘Tier Three Associate’ with the World Bank/IFC (International Finance Corporation).

The SOLUX booth was one of the most frequented places in the Bougainvillea Exhibition Hall. Enjoy some pictures here.

Lighting Africa, a joint World Bank and IFC program, seeks to accelerate the development of markets for modern off-grid lighting products in Sub-Saharan Africa where an estimated 10 to 30 percent of household incomes are spent on hazardous and low quality fuel-based lighting products.

More than 600 participants and 50 exhibitors attended the second Lighting Africa conference and trade fair, which was introducing a new generation of affordable and better quality off-grid lighting products targeting low-income consumers. Quality products will allow them to realize significant cost savings, gains in productivity to raise their living standards and be less exposed to health risks by moving from kerosene to modern off-grid lighting.

Franz Kies

During their walk through Munich city center at the opening night, German President Horst Köhler, Minister President of Bavaria Horst Seehofer and Munich’s Mayor Christian Ude were attracted by a stand which was gleaming in bright light of two SOLUX LED 50!

The SOLUX booth at the Munich Traidfair Center was busy all the time. Our solar lights and also the new solar radio attracted a lot of customers - there was no age limit! Also our solar workshop, where we showed how the LED-100 is being assembled, attracted a lot of attention.

We had a lot of promising conversations with existing and potentially new customers and we are looking forward to interesting new projects worldwide.For the team of SOLUX volunteers it was a lot of fun to be in direct contact with the visitors and receive all this positive feedback.

Here are a few more pictures. Enjoy!

-bk

Lighting Africa is a World Bank Group (WBG) initiative which supports the private sector to develop, accelerate, and sustain the market for modern off-grid lighting technologies tailored to the needs of African consumers.

If you would like to subscribe, send a mail to mail@solux.org

In May, SOLUX will participate in several large public events in Nairobi/Kenya and Munich/Germany. Hope to see you there!

The Lighting Africa 2010 - Business Conference and Trade Fair will be held May 18-20, 2010, at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. This is the second global Lighting Africa Conference; the first, held in Accra, Ghana, in May 2008 brought together over 400 participants. Lighting Africa 2010 expects to draw an even greater attendance, attracting individuals from across the African continent and around the world. In 2008 Solux e.V. won an award in a “Lighting Africa” competition of the World Bank to provide alternative lighting to Africa. Franz Kies of Solux e.V. was invited as a speaker to this years’ conference to talk about Solux’ experience with their solar light projects in Ghana and elsewhere. Solux will also show their solar lamps at a booth in the exhibition area of the conference.

Munich: Ecumenical Kirchentag May 12 - 16. In more than 3,000 events thousands of visitors will discuss questions of todays christian life, with a large focus on OneWorld topics. SOLUX will host a booth in the exhibition area B4 B26.

Munich: Streetlife Festival, May 29/30, Munich Leopoldstrasse. A 2-day party on one of Munich’s nicest boulevards. Music, food, events and information. SOLUX will have a stand there and is looking forward to meeting a lot of old and new friends. -bk

The solar lights allow for a lot of activities after dark which have hardly been possible before, like housework, studying, or social get-togethers in the village. The ability to charge mobile phones with the solar panel is of great importance to the villagers too, since this is the only means of telecommunication in Gambia. Yirabah aims to provide SOLUX solar lights to all households in Sikunda, but there’s still a long way to go.

Siegfried Ester explains his organisations’ self-help approach with an african proverb: ‘if you really want to help somebody, give him a fishing-rod, not a fish’. Yirabah sees donations as the wrong way for sustainable progress and real partnership. That’s why they decided to make the solar lights available through micro credits. The customers have 10 months to pay back the purchase amount - without interest. Yirabah re-invests the money into the project until all households are provided with solar lights.