Africa: Solar-Charging Micro-Firms Could Solve Mobile Energy Gap

Nairobi — Solar-powered charging of mobile phones holds great potential for Africa,

and could generate significant income for smallholder entrepreneurs, according to a report.

Solar-powered charging stations could address a "significant unmet need" in rural areas that are not connected to the national grid, saving people time and money they would otherwise spend travelling to charge their phones.

But access to initial funds remains a challenge, says the report 'Phone Charging Micro-businesses in Tanzania and Uganda', published by the Global Village Energy Partnership (GVEP), a non-profit organisation that tries to harness entreneurship to open up energy for the poor.

There are 78 phone charging entrepreneurs in Tanzania, 28 in Kenya and 26 in Uganda, the report says, but there is opportunity for expansion. By 2015, 40 countries from Sub-Saharan Africa, South and South-East Asia, and the Middle East will have more people with access to a mobile network than have access to electricity at home - according to the Cisco Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast for 2010-2015.

"Phone charging can create a significant income stream for the entrepreneur providing the service -

US$250 a month for one of the Kenya businesses

"If the owner of a solar charger charges ten Kenyan shillings (around nine US cents) per phone, then they would make a living

source: allafrica.com

Village Solar charger by Ericsson

The charger is capable of recharging at

least 30 mobile phone batteries a day, all

year round. It can also be used for other

types of load, such as powering

computers, lights or TV sets, says Ericsson."

remotesolar.blogspot.com

ericsson.com