Lighting up Kenya: How one Young Company has Brought Solar Energy to 3,000 Citizens

Last Updated 14 years ago by Kenya Engineer

Eve Pearce
Solar power has finally arrived as a cost-effective solution for the developing world, and Kenya is living proof of this. The introduction of small-scale, solar power implementations are helping to change the livelihoods of local communities, significantly improving their quality of life.  There are currently more than 36 million people in Kenya that do not have any access to electricity. Even those that are connected to the grid often endure frequent power cuts; reliability is a problem.

At present, many of Kenya’s poorest citizens are paying high prices for access to off-grid light, largely through the use of kerosene and candles. According to UK website, The Guardian, the average poor family in Africa pays $1,800 for energy over the course of a decade. However, by replacing that kerosene with a small self-powering solar kit, the only cost that would be payable would be an initial investment. Then, they would be able to power devices such as phones, laptops and TVs for no further cost.

One international company that is hoping to change this is BBOXX. BBOXX’s Kenya branch, which opened in Nairobi in May, is celebrating a milestone; after just six months in operation, it has brought renewable solar energy to 3,000 Kenyan citizens.

Reliable and self-generating energy
Formed in 2010 by engineering graduates, Mansoor Hamayun, Chris Baker-Brian and Laurent Van Houke, BBOXX develops portable solar products, which provide people with an opportunity to enjoy reliable, self-generating and cost-effective energy. It is already operating in many of the world’s poorest countries, including Sudan, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Pakistan, Iraq, Somalia and Ethiopia. Across the continent, its products have brought electricity to more than 15,000 people in Africa, and the young company has already worked with clients that include the United Nations, War Child, and various telecoms companies throughout Africa.

With a growing Kenyan distribution network, which spans from Kisumu, Mobasa and Malindi to Nanyuki and Eldoret, having a flexible range of products is what enables BBOXX Kenya to meet the electricity needs of ordinary citizens. Rather than just offering one generic solar light, BBOXX sells a whole range of solar energy solutions, Anshul Patel, CEO of BBOXX Kenya, explained. “The smallest product, the BB5, which retails at 8,000 shillings, can power a small TV, mobile phone charger and computer; the largest could power a whole building.”

The BB5 has been a best-seller for Anshul and his team. However, he says that there is also a demand from businesses, such as development organisations and MFI institutions, to purchase one of the company’s largest models – the 80,000 shilling BB38.

Off-setting initial investment
A present, many poor families in Kenya are using kerosene for their electricity needs; this is because they can purchase it in a single day’s supply, which requires the smallest amount of upfront investment. Although much cheaper for families in the long-run, solar power requires a significant upfront investment; one that many people cannot afford. In the meantime, Kenya’s technology industry is booming; 90 percent of citizens own a mobile phone, yet just 12 percent of these people have access to electricity and are therefore unable to charge their phones. Demand for reliable energy sources is growing exponentially, and cannot wait for the grid. Many industry experts agree that the next step forward for solar energy in countries such as Kenya is to enable regular people to take out credit in order to spread out the cost of buying a solar energy kit.

Mansoor believes that the next steps for energy or engineering businesses such as BBOXX must be taken to meet demand: “We believe it is necessary to go from being a ‘product provider’ to a ‘service provider’,” he said. “This pay-plan model will make reliable, environmentally friendly electricity available to all those that currently live in off-grid settings – even the poorest of families.”