Off-Grid LED Lighting
This is part of The Climate Group's LED Scale-up project.
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THE UNTAPPED OPPORTUNITY
There are currently 1.3 billion people around the world who lack access to electricity, of which more than 95% live in Sub-Saharan Africa or developing Asia. The effect of energy and light poverty on these communities is severe. Educational opportunities as well as medical services are impacted, with unsafe, unreliable lighting alternatives hitting vulnerable social groups such as women and children hardest.
Just like food and water, light is a primary necessity nobody should lack access to.
Off-grid LED lighting offers a practical and scalable solution to tackling light poverty in a way that is both affordable and environmentally sustainable. It has the power to bring lighting to places in the world where electricity grids and lighting infrastructure simply do not exist. Reduced installation and infrastructure costs are another big benefit of off-grid lighting adoption in developing regions.
And these opportunities have been proven. Early examples of off-grid solutions in villages have demonstrated significant socio-economic benefits, with lighting in previously dark villages improving safety for women and children at night and enhancing profits for local businesses.
WHAT WE'RE DOING
The Climate Group is committed to fighting light poverty around the world by promoting sustainable off-grid light-emitting diode (LED) lighting solutions. This work is part of our ongoing global LED consultation, convening key stakeholders and leaders in targeted geographical areas to identify and address barriers to adoption, promote knowledge sharing and best practices, and highlight the socio-economic benefits that better-lit environments bring.
ACTIVITIES
- August 10-12: India Energy Access Summit, New Delhi: An outdoor off-grid LED lighting workshop is being planned.
- South Asia Regional LED Consultation briefing note. Linked to workshops in India, RELATED LINKS:
- Bijli – Clean Energy for All, 2014-15
- Global Off Grid Lighting Association
- UNEP En.lighten initiative, including Accelerating the Penetration of Efficient Off-Grid Lighting Products
- Global Lighting and Energy Access Partnership: The energy access initiative of the US Clean Energy Ministerial to catalyze clean energy access though efforts on product quality assurance, promotion of demand-side super-efficient Off Grid Appliances, and partner collaboration.
Note: This is an expanding list.
CASE STUDIES
- India: 76,000 solar LEDs light up 800 villages, 2015.
- Australia: How solar LED is making remote communities safer, 2015.
- Egypt: Street lights go solar, 2015.
- Papua New Guinea: Solar project brings off-grid light to communities, 2014.
- Gibraltar: Bus shelters get zero carbon lighting, 2015.
- Senegal: Senegal gets solar powered street lights, as 1,500 solar street lamps roll out in Dakar and other regions, 2014.
- Kenya: New solar LED street lights installed in Nairobi as part of UNEP En.lighten project, 2012.
- Afghanistan: Solar powered LED street lights installed across several cities, 2012.
- Solar LED system with cold white LED bulbs for floodlights: Example of reduced installation costs from off-grid lighting solutions, 2008.