Many people in low-income countries–over 1.6 billion people–live without access to electricity. Another billion people live with unreliable access to power. This creates a web of problems that we set out to solve with this project.
We realized the most significant problem we could solve here is that on a global scale the lack of a dependable, accessible, affordable lighting system keeps people marginalized and impoverished.
Living without reliable electric lighting limits the productivity of nearly a quarter of the world’s population. Basic activities such as cleaning, reading, schoolwork, and household business cannot be done in the dark. In Africa the lack of electric lighting is growing worse with population growing faster than electrification, a condition that leads to a permanent marginalization of both rural and urban poor.[1]
The great majority of people with no or erratic electricity illuminate their homes and businesses with fuel-based kerosene lamps,[2] which creates another set of inter-related problems.
Health Impact:
The health implications of fuel-based lighting are two fold: chronic illness due to indoor air pollution and risk of injury due to the flammable nature of the fuels used.
Kerosene lamps emit fine particles of Black Carbon, or soot. These particles are a major source of indoor air pollution because they quickly become lodged in the bronchial system and can result in chronic disease and death. Chronic pulmonary disease is a leading cause of early death in developing countries primarily due to poor indoor air quality.The World Health Organization has determined that individuals breathing kerosene fumes and soot inhale the equivalent of smoking two packs of cigarettes a day.[3]
In addition to giving off toxic fumes, kerosene lamps are dangerous! A study conducted in Irrua, Nigeria showed that more than 50% of burn victims brought into hospitals were victims of fires caused by overturned or exploding kerosene lamps.[4]
Environmental Impact:
Kerosene lamps produce more greenhouse gasses per unit of illumination than any other common light source.[5] The environmental effect of 1.6 billion people using kerosene fuel and candles contributes to global carbon emissions at a rate of 100-150 million tons per year.[6] Beyond CO2 emissions, incomplete combustion of kerosene leads to the release of soot or Black Carbon, which also contributes to global warming and poor indoor air quality.
Economic Impact:
The light intensity produced by kerosene lamps is inferior to electric light, but kerosene lighting is more expensive per unit of light than what we pay in the developed world. Several studies in developing countries show that access to proper lighting (of high enough illumination to enable reading and doing household and business-related activities) has significant positive impact on productivity broadly and income-generating activity specifically.[7]
We started ATC as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in 2008 in order to enhance our capacity for carrying out this project to its full potential. Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the Appropriate Technology Collaborative (ATC) was founded to work side-by-side with communities in developing countries to design, develop, demonstrate, and distribute affordable and sustainable technological solutions that empower people and promote dignity.
[1] World Bank “Solar Lighting for the Base of the Pyramid – Overview of an Emerging Market” (2010): 14
[2] Foster, Robert. “Light Emitting Diodes for Off-Grid Homes.” Sandia National Laboratories (2005): 2-3.
[3] Lights for Life (2010)
[4] Dongo, Andrew E. “A five-year review of burn injuries in Irrua” BMC Health Services Research (2007)
[5] Mills, Evan. “The Specter of Fuel-Based Lighting.” Science 308, no. 5726 (2005): 3-4.
[6] World Bank (2010)
[7] Cabraal, Barnes, Agarwal. “Productive Uses of Energy for Rural Development” Annu. Rev. Environ. Resourc. (2005)
Click On A Photo Below To See Larger Image
With Funding From the Lindbergh Foundation ATC Designed a New Solar Replacement for Kerosene Lamps
Our #2 Design Was Worked Very Well
Our #3 Light Uses Highly Efficeint LEDs and a Commercial Circuit Board
#3 Components
#3 Components
#2 Circuit Sketch
#2 Circuit Diagram
Retail Costs (Wholesale Bulk Purchase ~ 40% Lower)
Final Thoughts
Next Post: A simple LED light made primarily from recycled cell phone parts for places where power is intermittent!
Contact Us To Receive A List Of Suppliers For Lighting System #3
