GravityLight
SUMMARY: “Over 1.3 billion people have no access to electricity and millions more have unreliable supply. Instead they rely on dangerous, polluting and expensive kerosene lamps for light. GravityLight transforms the pull of gravity into electricity. It’s a unique solution designed as an affordable, safe and reliable alternative.”
PROBLEM SPACE: “A typical kerosene lamp resembles a Molotov cocktail – a bottle or tin can, fuel and wick. It’s an extremely dangerous and polluting combination that consumes 20% of a family’s income, ongoing, locking them into a cycle of energy poverty.
Kerosene lamps are also a significant cause of health issues and burns: the WHO equates these fumes to smoking 40 cigarettes a day and, in India alone, 1.5 million people suffer burns due to overturned kerosene lamps.
Furthermore, kerosene lamps are responsible for 3% of global CO2 emissions and emit significant amounts of black carbon, equivalent to a quarter of global diesel emissions, annually.
GravityLight is a low-cost, safe, clean and reliable alternative. GravityLight pays for itself within 3 months of switching from kerosene and saves families money thereafter. Children have more, healthier light to study by and parents to work by, in turn increasing educational attainment and earnings whilst reducing smoke related illnesses. All this leads to increased disposable income and empowers families to break free from a cycle of energy poverty.
The majority of off-grid households are based in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where The GravityLight Foundation is partnering with local organisations to reach the largest number possible.”
SOLUTION: “GravityLight is an innovative approach to off-grid power that creates a new category of off-grid lighting. It takes seconds to lift a weight that provides 25 minutes of light on its descent.
GravityLight can be used anytime, repeatedly. With no need for batteries or the sun, it is unique in that it can be stored indefinitely and used in any country, whatever the weather.
GravityLight has been designed with off-grid households, typically living on $2.50 /day in mind. As such, all unnecessary costs have been ruthlessly designed out, whilst balancing the need for an elegant yet robust product used in a range of different situations and environments.
A global field trial among off-grid households in 26 different countries was conducted to test the concept, demand and feasibility of GravityLight. Over 90% of triallists said they would use one instead of a kerosene lamp and also provided invaluable feedback which has been integrated into an improved version due to be launched this Autumn.
To establish a sustainable model, GravityLights will be sold through local distribution networks making a living from selling GravityLights and similar clean energy products, throughout sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.”
CONTACT: [email protected]