SoloGrid (www.sologrid.com), a new breed of renewable energy technology company that seeks to join off-the-grid users to the connected world with life-changing amounts of power, announced today that it has been accepted for membership in the Global Off-Grid Lighting Association (GOGLA), an independent, not-for-profit association.
An estimated 1.2 billion people worldwide live without access to electricity — roughly one in every six people on the planet. Founded in 2012 as an offshoot of the International Finance Corporation/World Bank’s Lighting Global program, GOGLA is regarded as the voice of the off-grid industry, promoting a wide array of off-grid energy appliances and services across developing and emerging countries. With the accent on affordable, deployable technology, the association represents approximately 80 companies and organizations within the solar lighting and home electrification industry. Lighting Global is the World Bank Group’s platform supporting sustainable growth of the international off-grid lighting market as a means of increasing energy access to people not connected to grid electricity.
“GOGLA is an essential organization, focused on attacking the problem of providing sufficient energy for residential, medical and educational facilities, and we could not be more proud to be a part of it,” said Mark Hornstra, CEO, SoloGrid. “Especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where we are focusing our initial efforts, GOGLA is the go-to alliance, addressing energy needs of the off-grid population in a comprehensive, humanitarian fashion. SoloGrid is seeking to break the mold, innovating in both our business model and our ability to deliver higher levels of power to consumers off the grid.”
Equipped with SoloGrid’s flagship product – a first-of-its kind distributed energy generation system, or power hub — users can move from polluting kerosene for lighting to a clean energy source supporting a wide variety of electrical appliances and devices, all for a low monthly outlay. Delivering scalable power that can achieve levels approximating those of smaller micro-grids, each SoloGrid power hub is a grid unto itself, enabling users to achieve micro-grid power, one power hub at a time.
SoloGrid’s inaugural pilot projects are under way in South Sudan, with plans for additional pilots in Uganda. According to Hornstra, the company intends to participate in GOGLA’s Technology Working Group, contributing to an ongoing standards initiative for off-grid power.
“SoloGrid is a bright new player on the scene, and we enthusiastically welcome the company to GOGLA,” said Darragh Cotter, GOGLA Communications Manager. “SoloGrid is among a handful of U.S-based providers in the association, and GOGLA particularly welcomes such strong representation from Silicon Valley. As we champion this fast-growing sector, we look forward to working with enterprises like SoloGrid to transform lives by improving health and education, creating jobs and income opportunities, and helping consumers save money.”
The SoloGrid executive team brings more than 60 years’ experience across multiple industries and technologies. The founders have collaborated on development of the SoloGrid power hub since 2012, incorporating a host of technical and functional improvements to create a bona fide next-generation product.
About SoloGrid
Based in San Ramon, Calif., SoloGrid (www.sologrid.com) is Powering the Off-Grid World
