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An investigation of the cost and performance of a solar-powered LED light designed as an alternative to candles in Zambia: A project case study

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  • Kornbluth, Kurt
  • Pon, Bryan
  • Erickson, Paul

Abstract

The economic, health, and environmental costs of kerosene, candles, and other fuel-based lighting are well-documented. As a result of efforts by the World Bank and other organizations, numerous lighting products incorporating solar photovoltaic and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been introduced in Sub-Saharan Africa. The category of solar portable lights is increasingly popular, in part because the lower retail price of these lights can make them more affordable to lower-income households. The UC Davis Lighting the Way Zambia project sought to explore the minimum costs and performance requirements for a solar portable light targeting candle and kerosene users in Zambia. This paper discusses the product design process, including the establishment of performance requirements and metrics, as well as a cost-optimization exercise used to evaluate key electronic components. The cost structure of the final design is presented with end-user costs and actual manufacturing costs. The results suggest that an 18-lumen solar portable light with a 4-h run time would meet many users’ needs and can be manufactured for less than US$9 per unit, with a cost of $0.34 per 1000 lm-h and a payback period of around 6 months.

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  • Kornbluth, Kurt & Pon, Bryan & Erickson, Paul, 2012. "An investigation of the cost and performance of a solar-powered LED light designed as an alternative to candles in Zambia: A project case study," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(9), pages 6737-6745.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:16:y:2012:i:9:p:6737-6745
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2012.08.001
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Martinot, E. & Cabraal, A. & Mathur, S., 2001. "World Bank/GEF solar home system projects: experiences and lessons learned 1993-2000," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 5(1), pages 39-57, March.
    2. Karekezi, Stephen & Kithyoma, Waeni, 2002. "Renewable energy strategies for rural Africa: is a PV-led renewable energy strategy the right approach for providing modern energy to the rural poor of sub-Saharan Africa?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(11-12), pages 1071-1086, September.
    3. Gustavsson, Mathias & Ellegård, Anders, 2004. "The impact of solar home systems on rural livelihoods. Experiences from the Nyimba Energy Service Company in Zambia," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 29(7), pages 1059-1072.
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    2. Paul Munro & Greg van der Horst & Simon Willans & Preston Kemeny & Ame Christiansen & Nicole Schiavone, 2016. "Social enterprise development and renewable energy dissemination in Africa: The experience of the community charging station model in Sierra Leone," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 16(1), pages 24-38, January.

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