In 2012, an International energy association (IEA) report said that 1.3billion people lacked access to electricity with more the 600 million of them living in sub-saharan Africa. This vast population has had to rely on inefficient light sources such as oil lamps, kerosene lamps, and in some cases candles.
Image source:pixabay
These inefficient light sources are responsible for 3% of the world carbon emission, and in many cases respiratory problems, but a Kenyan based foundation GravityLight® foundation with the help of kinetic energy and the force of gravity are looking-glasses to change all that through an innovative energy idea; GravityLight®.
Gravitylight (Image source:pixabay)
GravityLight® in partnership with Deciwatt UK ltd offer lighting a self sustaining lighting solution for the many Kenyans who live off-the-grid. The GravityLight® employs simple the simplicity of the pulley and gear system to produce light. The light is produced by the kinetic energy produced by a slow falling bag of rocks. The GravityLight® system is setup so that it is 6ft from the ground (the height through which the bag will fall) and a 12kg bag of rocks is is lifted by the aid of a pulley system to 6ft and allowed to fall slowly under the influence of gravity and as it falls, it powers a drive sprocket with high torque and low speed which turns a gear train of high speed low torque in the device to drive a DC generator. This power generated (about a tenth of a watt) powers an onboard LED and two SatLight LEDs that produce light five times brighter than a typical oil lamp.
GravityLight® is a great Innovation because it's only operational cost is that of purchasing the product unlike oil lamps, it eliminates the need for batteries as it is ready to use as needed, and also helping to cut in its own small way heavy metal poisoning which could be facilitated by improper disposal of batteries, it is unaffected by weather unlike some other renewable energy sources as solar and wind energy, and it uses one of the
With this, i believe young people like myself who live off the grid (I do not) who want to advance their learning by reading would not have to be limited by the darkness the night has to offer, and at no health and environmental risk.
Gravity Light and one satilight LED
Image source:pixabay
References
2012 IEA report:
http://www.worldenergyoutlook.org/resources/energydevelopment/energyaccessdatabase/
How it works; GravityLight: https://gravitylight.org/how-it-works
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