Challenge

• 1.3 billion people burn kerosene for light, emitting 270,000 tonnes of CO2.
• Collection of firewood and consumption of biomass for energy needs is causing deforestation rates to increase.
• A world in which nearly one-fifth of the population remains without access to any form of electricity represents not only developmental, but also economic growth issues on a global scale.

Opportunity

With Wind power:

• there is no burden on climate change and no increase of CO2 emissions,
• rural families will no longer need to rely on dangerous kerosene lamps for light,
• deforestation rates will decrease, and
• only low levels of energy are needed to provide basic electricity and energy access.

Challenge

Without electricity, children must study by a kerosene lamp which is expensive and dangerous. Many children spend several hours per day collecting firewood over distances of up to 10 kilometers, or work to help their families afford the cost of traditional energy services.

Opportunity

With clean, inexpensive wind energy, families can afford to send their children to school instead of to work. Kids can study by LED at night. If they have a question, they can make a call or do research on a cellphone. With an LED, families can work late or help children study without burning their supply of kerosene.

Challenge

• 80% of rural households still use kerosene lamps for lighting.
• A kerosene lamp is as damaging to lungs as 40 cigarettes a day.
• 2 million premature global deaths occur annually as a result of indoor air pollution.
• 1 million deaths are from fires caused by kerosene lamps.
• 50% of healthcare facilities in developing countries have no or unreliable access to electricity.

Opportunity

Wind energy can dramatically reduce carbon footprints by enabling the replacement of kerosene lamps with safe LED lighting.

Replacing kerosene lamps with LED lighting will:

• improve respiratory health by reducing smoke in the home produced by kerosene lamps, and
• reduce burn injuries by 80% and reduce household fires by 70%.

With electricity and a charged cellphone, families can easily reach a doctor. Doctors can offer advice over the phone and respond to emergency situations. Mobile heath applications can verify medicines, provide directions, and help to ensure safe usage. Refrigeration and vaccine cooling will increase child vaccination by 47%.

Challenge

80% of the rural, energy poor have incomes of less than US$3 per day. Despite this, US$ 18.5 billion is spent on unhealthy and expensive sources of lighting and energy for cooking or productive uses, and US$18.5 billion is spent on charging mobile phones, flashlights and lighting. The US$37 billion spent on energy services represents more than 10% of the monthly household income.* In addition, more than 500 million people have access to mobile phones but not to electricity and up to 50% of costs of airtime are spent on expensive phone charging.

Opportunity

Green energy will dramatically reduce the cost for mobile charging and lighting (40% of household energy expenditure savings is expected through cheaper off-grid energy services*), run machinery and devices, create jobs through freed up time, and increase sales of energy-dependent devices such as radios, TVs, communication devices, sanitation devices, etc.

Challenge

• About 1.3 billion people globally do not have access to reliable, affordable and clean electricity and lighting negatively affecting their quality of life.
• 84% of those without electric live in rural areas.
• 95% of those without electric live in Sub-Saharan Africa and developing Asia.

Opportunity

Windmills can provide rural populations with energy for lighting, charging purposes, and other productive activities. Mini-grid based models have the potential to stimulate local economic growth and thus have a multiplier impact on the development perspectives and quality of life of rural households. At the same time, negative health impacts of indoor air pollution and environmental impacts are reduced by replacing kerosene lamps and diesel with renewable energy where applicable.

Challenge

To improve the health, well-being, opportunities available to rural communities, and ensure that all people have access to clean, inexpensive energy, we aim to:

• provide enough power to charge at least one cell phone,
• provide enough power to run an LED light for several hours each night, and
• provide income opportunities for rural entrepreneurs.

Opportunity

The REVOLT can improve quality of life by:

• Providing rural populations with affordable, sustainable, reliable, and healthy energy for lighting, charging and other productive activities
• Creating sustainable economic growth through improved access to phone charging services, mini-grid based services, or affiliate programs

Local communities are not only expected to benefit from direct access to energy but also from the wider impacts of enabled economic activity, reduced health impacts, and reduced environmental damage.