Solergie

Access to energy is a key factor in a country's development and human development. In sub-Saharan Africa, 75% of the rural population do not have access to reliable energy sources. This part of the population depends mainly on oil lamps, diesel generators or LED lamps with poor quality disposable batteries, compromising health and the environment. There are few opportunities for local people to start economic activity given the lack of electricity. As a result, they do not have the opportunity to develop themselves or lift themselves out of poverty. Solergie aims to overcome the lack of energy by installing an infrastructure - in the form of nano-grid - providing off-grid communities in rural Africa with the reliable, sustainable and affordable electricity they need to empower themselves. In pursuit of this goal, Solergie has developed the SOLERGIEBOX, a smart solar nano-grid. This smart solar nano-grid is a modular solar system where eight users can connect to. Our SolergieBox delivers 220V and can be extended gradually according to clients’ needs. Customers are families, mainly to bring lighting into their house, to charge (smart)phones, as well as for micro-entrepreneurs who connect a refrigerator to store and sell cold drinks, meat, vegetables or medicines, a television to start a small cinema, a razor for hairdressers, an irrigation pump, a sewing machine etc. Activities that generate income and enable the creation of economic development within villages and participation in the fight against poverty. This way electricity is no longer a cost, but an income. Customers pay for their shared SolergieBox by making small mobile payments based on their consumption. This makes our model immediately accessible to the poorest families. For each payment made, the user receives an amount of energy to consume. Payments also bring users closer to their ultimate goal: empowerment through ownership.