Embodied Energy and Off-Grid Lighting

Abstract

The Lumina Project includes an Off-Grid Lighting Technology Assessment activity to provide manufacturers, re-sellers, program managers, and policymakers with information to help ensure the delivery of products that maximize consumer acceptance and the market success of off-grid lighting solutions for the developing world. SummaryThe greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from fuel-based lighting are substantial given the paltry levels of lighting service provided to users, leading to a great opportunity for GHG mitigation by encouraging the switch from fuel-based to rechargeable LED lighting. However, as with most new energy technology, switching to efficient lighting requires an up-front investment of energy (and GHGs) embedded in the manufacture of replacement components. We studied a population of off-grid lighting users in [2008][2009] in Kenya who were given the opportunity to adopt LED lighting. Based on their use patterns with the LED lights and the levels of kerosene offset we observed, we found that the embodied energy of the LED lamp was "paid for" in only one month for grid charged products and two months for solar charged products. Furthermore, the energyreturn-on investment-ratio (energy produced or offset over the product's service life divided by energy embedded) for off-grid LED lighting ranges from 12 to 24, which is on par with on-grid solar and large-scale wind energy. We also found that the energy embodied in the manufacture of a typical hurricane lantern is about one-half to one-sixth of that embodied in the particular LED lights that we evaluated, indicating that the energy payback time would be moderately faster ifLEDs ultimately displace the production of kerosene lanterns. As LED products improve, we anticipate longer service lives and more successful displacement of kerosene lighting, both of which will speed the already rapid recovery of embodied energy in these products. Our study provides a detailed appendix with embodied energy values for a variety of components used to construct off-grid LED lighting, which can be used to analyze other products.

How Do Usage and Payment Behavior Interact in Rent‐to‐Own Business Models? Evidence from Developing Economies

“…In recent years, there has been a proliferation of companies introducing a wide range of pay-as-you-go (PAYG) products. Recent reports have identified nearly 30 PAYG companies offering off-grid energy products in at least 32 markets (Alstone et al 2015). These companies are commercializing products that range from solar lamps that could sell for USD $10-$60, to solar home systems that could sell starting at USD $200 and reach much higher prices (Winiecki and Kumar 2014).…”

“…Recent studies have shown that electrification rates can remain low even in territories with significant investments in nearby grid infrastructure (Lee et al 2016). In that context, many companies recently started commercializing off-grid energy products not only in Africa, but also in parts of Asia, Central America, and Latin America (Alstone et al 2015). These companies-which are introducing products that range from basic solar lamps to complete solar home systems-usually have very limited information about their customers beforehand, facing significant uncertainty.…”

LED advances accelerate universal access to electric lighting

“…In parallel there has been an expansion in new business models and deployment approaches, with private sector businesses and new organizations launching across a range of regional and economic contexts. Many in the developing world utilize newly ubiquitous information technology for micro-payments and coordination of their supply chains [26]. Recognizing the need for global coordination and support of this new framework for providing electricity everywhere, even in the absence of an electricity grid, a range of national and international institutional efforts have emerged as well that focus on policy, market transformation, regulatory frameworks, and other areas.…”

The Natural and Infrastructural Capital Elements of Potential Post-Electrification Wealth Creation in Kenya

“…Although these studies do take into account important proxies for electricity demand such as other household expenditures, education, poverty, population density and urban vs. rural differences, they often fail to mention or incorporate energy transition theories, complementary infrastructure (presence of roads and trade centers for example), and consumption preferences. In Kenya in particular it has been shown that the main driver of household rural electrification is not desire for electricity per se, but the desire for connective appliances (TVs, radios, and more recently cellphones) [7][13] [21].…”