Solar-powered water pumps and fishing lights 

A Tanzanian startup develops affordable equipment for off-grid communities powered by clean energy

Spotted: Agriculture accounts for around 30 per cent of Tanzania’s GDP, and the country’s government is in the process of redirecting the farming sector towards a more sustainable and productive pathway.

Helping with this transition is Simusolar, a cleantech startup that is a leading provider of solar-powered water pumps and fishing lights in rural East Africa.

Only 3 per cent of Tanzanian farmers currently have access to irrigation technology, and most of them still use diesel pumps. Simusolar’s affordable solar-powered pumps enable farmers to increase their crop yields while using less water and fuel. In addition, the pumps reduce carbon emissions and pollution from diesel generators.

Meanwhile, Simusolar’s fishing lights replace the polluting kerosene lamps commonly used by Tanzanian fishermen. The solar-powered LEDs are as bright as a kerosene lamp, work under all weather conditions, and incur no fuel or maintenance costs.

Last year, Simusolar received €1.26 million from EDFI ElectriFI, the EU-funded electrification financing initiative. With this funding, the company intends to expand its product portfolio to create a mix of productive equipment solutions and services adapted to farmers’ needs.

Other off-grid solar energy solutions recently spotted by Springwise include a plug-and-play solar energy system for swarm electrification, a solar-powered off-grid desalination system, and solar-powered refrigerators to cut food spoilage in developing countries.