The uptake of off-grid lights in Africa has been phenomenal and up to 140 million people will have access to safer, better lighting by 2015.
In Africa, approximately 600 million people still rely on expensive and polluting lighting fuel sources, such as kerosene. The use of kerosene is not only dangerous and greenhouse gas emissions intensive; but also contributes to instances of respiratory disease.
A new report by the joint IFC-World Bank Lighting Africa Program says the Africa will become the world’s largest market for clean off-grid lamps and has experienced a 300 percent growth in sales in the past three years.
The latest Lighting Africa Market Trends Report projects that cumulative sales could reach 28 million solar lanterns in Africa by 2015, double the 2010 estimate.
Lighting Africa was launched in September 2007 and has a goal of reaching 250 million people without access to reliable electricity by 2030 – a goal it says it is on track to reach. Currently, only about four percent of the continent’s population has access to solar lanterns.
“IFC and the World Bank are committed to ensuring consumers gain better access to products that meet basic needs. With the price declines in raw materials and solar panels, off-grid lamps are becoming increasingly affordable and within reach for rural households that lack electricity,” said Itotia Njagi, Lighting Africa’s Program Manager.
A slew of solar LED products and projects have been developed with the African market primarily in mind. Some of these we’ve covered over the years such as Panasonic’s 100,000 Solar Lantern Project, LUCI, LuminAID, the Solar Pebble and Solar Aid.
The number of off grid lighting manufacturers involved in the African market has increased from 20 in 2008 to more than 80 now.
Lighting Africa Market Trends Report 2012 can be viewed here.
