SolarAid is an international development charity which is working to create a sustainable market for solar lights in Africa. In line with the
Sustainable Development Goal 7
Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7 or Global Goal 7) is one of 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. It aims to "Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for ...
: "Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all", the organisation's aim is to reduce
global poverty
Poverty is the state of having few material possessions or little
climate change
In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to ...
through providing access to solar lights for rural communities. SolarAid wholly owns the
social enterprise
A social enterprise is an organization that applies commercial strategies to maximize improvements in financial, social and environmental well-being. This may include maximizing social impact alongside profits for co-owners.
Social enterprises ca ...
, SunnyMoney, the largest seller of solar lights in Africa. SolarAid was founded by
Solarcentury
Solarcentury is the UK's largest solar company.
Solarcentury was founded in 1998 by former oil geologist Jeremy Leggett, and had an annual turnover of £168 million in 2015–16.
The company is in partnership with Panama-based private equity fi ...
, a
solar energy
Solar energy is radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed using a range of technologies such as solar power to generate electricity, solar thermal energy (including solar water heating), and solar architecture. It is an ...
company based in the UK.
Aims and focus
SolarAid aims to light up every home, school and clinic in Africa by 2030, using safe, clean, solar power. The charity's social enterprise, SunnyMoney, operates in Zambia and Malawi. SolarAid also work through partners in Uganda and Senegal in
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mau ...
.
Awards
SolarAid is the recipient of a 2013
Google
Google LLC () is an American Multinational corporation, multinational technology company focusing on Search Engine, search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, software, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, ar ...
Global Impact Award, a 2013 ''
Guardian
Guardian usually refers to:
* Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another
* ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper
(The) Guardian(s) may also refer to:
Places
* Guardian, West Virginia, Unite ...
'' Sustainable Business Award. and the 2013
Ashden
Ashden is a London-based charity that works in the field of sustainable energy and development. Its work includes the annual Ashden Awards, advocacy and research in the field of sustainable energy, and mentoring and practical support for award wi ...
Gold Award.
See also
*
Renewable energy in developing countries
Renewable energy in developing countries is an increasingly used alternative to fossil fuel energy, as these countries scale up their energy supplies and address energy poverty. Renewable energy technology was once seen as unaffordable for devel ...
*
Solar lamp
A solar lamp, also known as a solar light or solar lantern, is a lighting system composed of an LED lamp, solar panels, battery, charge controller and there may also be an inverter. The lamp operates on electricity from batteries, charged throu ...
*
UN-Energy UN-Energy is an interagency mechanism within the system of the United Nations related to energy. It was created after the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, and its purpose is to create a coherent approach towards a sustai ...