2008 Environment Award Laureate
Sunlabob Renewable Energy
| Laureate Country: Laos |
| Project Countries: Cambodia, Laos, Uganda |
| Website: http://www.sunlabob.com |
| Video: 2008videos/Sunlabob.mov |
Sunlabob created technology to make solar lights commercially competitive with kerosene.
Many people in poor rural areas cannot afford to buy solar lamps, yet their daily expenses for kerosene are a major drain on their resources. So even with cleaner, renewable solar alternatives available, people continue to be exposed to harmful kerosene smoke.
Sunlabob developed a comprehensive system to make solar light affordable to the rural poor. They rent large solar-charging stations to local entrepreneurs who in turn rent good-quality, rechargeable lamps to fellow villagers for less money than they would spend on kerosene. Each lamp contains a microprocessor that shuts it off when it is time to re-charge, or when the lamp is used improperly. This guarantees a long and productive life for each lamp, and makes it economical for people to switch to sustainable solar lighting.
