Bringing Access to Development Through Clean Energy

Since its creation, Sunna Design has been committed to bringing sustainable energy to emerging countries. Solar streetlights are a wonderful tool to give people access to energy, anywhere, while also respecting the environment. Thanks to breakthrough innovation and a frugal approach, the French company has managed to keep costs down while bringing high-quality lighting to the most remote areas, without putting great social and economic burdens on the communities. Although public lighting was Sunna’s first step, with more than 5,000 products installed around the world, the company is aiming at empowering people with domestic access to energy though innovative partnerships between the public and private sectors.

Access to energy has been stated as a priority of the United Nations and presents a great social and environmental challenge involving more than one billion people. But delivering in areas with poor or no access to the grid is often complicated and costly, especially in emerging countries. Solar energy offers considerable hope in overcoming technical barriers, but many companies have hastily crafted products such as solar streetlights with the cheapest technology. These products have a very short lifespan, poor resistance to extreme climates, and require costly maintenance by a trained workforce that is seldom available in the off-grid areas. What is at stake in the challenge of access to energy is making a true social and economic impact on territories without burdening the finances of communities and threatening the local and global environment.

Sunna Design is a young French company that designs and manufactures stand-alone solar solutions. With a strong R&D program in collaboration with the CEA – the French public research lab in the field of energy – Sunna has decided to tackle the issue of raising the quality standard of solar streetlights. Within a system-based approach, each unit has been optimized to reach high levels of performance at an affordable cost, sized precisely to answer the need. Seven patents protect the breakthrough innovations of the products. The nickel-based battery and the smart electronic management system ensure that no maintenance is required for at least 10 years, regardless of the extreme climate conditions. Dynamically managing the stored energy prevents blackouts.

Witnessing the impact of a sole streetlight on the population of an off-grid village is an experience. “Providing access to energy has helped unleash the entrepreneurial potential of many small businesses, including those led by women,” says Carolyn Turk, World Bank Country Manager for Rwanda.

According to a recent World Bank report, providing access to electricity is a way to empower women and promote entrepreneurship. Small businesses can be created or remain open longer. Greater security allows for more social gatherings, and lighting also has an impact on education as it allows for studying longer. Sunna Design is currently involved in a large scientific study on the social impact of public lighting in rural developing areas.

In Keur Mbaye Gueye, the installation of a streetlight changed the life of those in the village. In Senegal, 56.5 percent of the population has access to electricity but the figure drops down to 25 percent in rural areas. Most villages have never had public lighting, such as in the rural community of Cherif Lo. In order to fight rural exodus and bring development and security to the dwellers, the government has set up an emergency electrification program with the ambition of reaching 60 percent of the population with access to lighting by 2017. Along with 10 other villages, they have benefited from a rural electrification program that finances the installation of streetlights. The rare communities that have access to electricity struggle to pay their bills; Senelec, the national electricity company, has initiated a recovery program for the pending amounts. Access to energy in the off-grid villages must therefore be accomplished without financial burdens. Only three months after installation, the population had already changed its way of life: Hot beverage and candy displays were being set up underneath the streetlight; women and children come out at sunset; and the area was being used for celebrations. The security brigade has set up its base camp at the foot of the streetlight, and thefts have declined in the village. No maintenance is required for the product, and there is no extra charge for the community in the long run.

Empowering people with domestic access to energy is the next issue Sunna is tackling. With the environmental risks of the use of kerosene lamps, it is a major concern to broaden the use of clean energy also inside the homes. Sunna’s clean, long-lasting technology for solar engines can be used to bring more than just public lighting. A first level of access to energy can be triggered through the architecture of the streetlights, allowing affordable technical upgrades to reach progressively ambitious levels of access to energy. Through streetlights and home access, Sunna aims to impact 100 million people by 2020.

Brightening life is a full-time commitment for green tech companies, and Sunna is proud to contribute toward this global goal.

In Keur Mbaye Gueye, the installation of a streetlight changed the life of those in the village. In Senegal, 56.5 percent of the population has access to electricity but the figure drops down to 25 percent in rural areas. Most villages have never had public lighting, such as in the rural community of Cherif Lo. In order to fight rural exodus and bring development and security to the dwellers, the government has set up an emergency electrification program with the ambition of reaching 60 percent of the population with access to lighting by 2017. Along with 10 other villages, they have benefited from a rural electrification program that finances the installation of streetlights. The rare communities that have access to electricity struggle to pay their bills; Senelec, the national electricity company, has initiated a recovery program for the pending amounts. Access to energy in the off-grid villages must therefore be accomplished without financial burdens. Only three months after installation, the population had already changed its way of life: Hot beverage and candy displays were being set up underneath the streetlight; women and children come out at sunset; and the area was being used for celebrations. The security brigade has set up its base camp at the foot of the streetlight, and thefts have declined in the village. No maintenance is required for the product, and there is no extra charge for the community in the long run.

Empowering people with domestic access to energy is the next issue Sunna is tackling. With the environmental risks of the use of kerosene lamps, it is a major concern to broaden the use of clean energy also inside the homes. Sunna’s clean, long-lasting technology for solar engines can be used to bring more than just public lighting. A first level of access to energy can be triggered through the architecture of the streetlights, allowing affordable technical upgrades to reach progressively ambitious levels of access to energy. Through streetlights and home access, Sunna aims to impact 100 million people by 2020.

Brightening life is a full-time commitment for green tech companies, and Sunna is proud to contribute toward this global goal.