Accessible off-grid solar home solutions

This company's financing model makes solar lighting and appliances more affordable

Spotted: Globally, 760 million people lack access to electricity, with around 600 million of those people living in Sub-Saharan Africa. Those without reliable and affordable clean energy will often turn to polluting fuels like wood and kerosene for cooking instead.

To meet the needs of off-grid communities, and address the pressing issue of energy poverty, d.light has taken an innovative approach. The idea began when Co-founder Sam Goldman witnessed the young son of his neighbour in West Africa be badly burnt by a kerosene lantern fire. Goldman turned to the potential of solar power as a safe – and clean – solution.

For one, d.light creates a range of high-quality and durable solar technologies, including full solar home systems with lighting, inverters, lanterns, and appliances. But quickly, d.light also realised that creating solar solutions was not enough, the company also needed to ensure that its clean energy systems were appealing and accessible.

To do so, the company built a proprietary distribution network whereby d.light facilitates last-mile deliveries directly to underserved and remote communities. d.light also works on educating communities and potential customers on the benefits of switching to solar power and away from traditional, polluting sources of fuel.

In order to tackle a key barrier to solar adoption – affordability – d.light pioneered a PayGo model for off-grid solar, which allows customers to make a small down payment, followed by low, daily mobile money payments over 12-20 months.

d.light CEO Nedjip Tozun explained to Springwise: “To this day, our customers continue to inspire our work. Going to the field and seeing the transformative impact that first-time energy access has on a customer’s life fuels our passion for d.light’s mission.” The company has a goal of transforming one billion lives by 2030.

d.light estimates that since 2007, its products have already avoided the release of 38 million tonnes of CO2e and an estimated two million tonnes of black carbon or particulate matter. And that’s on top of helping millions of people living off grid access electricity. In recognition of the organisation’s work so far, d.light was named as one of this year’s Earthshot finalists.

Written By: Lisa Magloff