Slightly less than 1 billion people in the world are are living without electricity and 50% of them are found in Sub-Saharan Africa alone. Affordable and clean energy (from water, solar and wind power) is a powerful solution and here are four companies creating innovative products that are making solar power more accessible and affordable. Use them for travel, emergencies or just styling out your yard for your next dinner party.
MPOWERD
The first of its kind, Luci Solar String Lights by MPOWERD are multi-use solar lights—with a mobile charger— ready for your backyard or the backcountry. The lights harness the power of the sun and feature two USB ports, one port to give your mobile device an extra boost of energy just when you need it and when your Solar String Lights are in need of a quick charge, they can be plugged into a traditional outlet. A Certified B Corporation, MPOWERD has impacted over 2.6 million lives globally through the donation of it’s Luci lights and their leadership team recently traveled to Puerto Rico, deploying more than 80,000 Luci lights to those still without power following Hurricanes Maria and Irma.
LuminAID
LuminAID’s solar inflatable lantern and phone charger can be a lifesaver in case of emergencies. The foldable lantern recharges via solar power in 14 hours of sunlight or by USB in a couple hours. Easily strap it onto a backpack to charge while exploring and use it to light the campsite or provide back up power to mobile devices. The company’s Give Light Get Light package sponsors one for families affected by natural disasters.
Les Jardins
Catering to outdoor enthusiasts, Les Jardins Solar Lighting has reimagined portable solar-powered lights through modern technology and ultramodern design. Their debut collection reduces carbon footprints and elevates personal style with attractive, atmospheric LED lighting that’s portable and powered by the sun. Each piece blends sustainability with casual luxury and with dimming capabilities, a motion sensor and up to 200 hours of life per charge, it is perfect for your next glamping adventure.
BioLite
With a slew of solar powered lighting options, BioLite is on a mission to bring energy everywhere. Their Energy Bundle+ includes items such as the CampStove 2, Portable Grill, KettlePot, SolarPanel 5+, PowerLight, SiteLight Reg. and SiteLight XL, allowing consumers to build out a complete off-grid ecosystem with this modular kit of wood-fired cooking, portable solar charging, and outdoor USB lighting. A portion of every purchase from the BioLite Shop gets re-invested into their work bringing safe, reliable energy across sub-Saharan Africa.
