Orange Kenya, Greenlight Planet to provide solar lighting to Kenyans

It is estimated that about 73 per cent of Kenyans live within 1-kilometre (0.6 miles) distance of a power transformer, yet only 18 per cent are connected to the grid. At its most basic level, Africa’s energy poverty means there is often no electricity to power lights to study or to work at night. It also means no access to safer electric cooking and heating, powered health centres, or electricity to run a business.

It is in regards to this that Orange Kenya and Greenlight Planet Kenya, designers of the Sun King line of solar home lighting solutions, have launched a strategic partnership to provide clean, safe and affordable solar lighting to millions of Kenyan homes in areas that have limited access to electricity.

Driven by a common mission to extend energy access to under-electrified communities, Orange Telkom Kenya and Greenlight aim to reach more than one million homes over the next 5 years.

To commemorate this partnership, Orange will launch an innovative product bundle combining a mobile handset with a Sun King solar lamp for a discounted price. This unique offer will enable customers to purchase an ultra-affordable mobile phone along with innovative, easy to use solar powered phone charging and home lighting technology. Orange subscribers will be empowered to charge and use their mobile phones whenever they want, without needing to rely on the grid.

Anish Thakkar, CEO, Greenlight Planet commented: “Access to adequate, clean lighting is now as fundamental as access to water and other essential amenities, as it enables parents to provide for their children by extending their working hours after dark, and children can do their homework without straining their eyes or harming their lungs with fumes from lanterns that utilize petroleum or solid fuels. Close to 1.5 billion people lack access to grid-based lighting, forcing people to walk several kilometers to purchase fuels for cooking and light and also charge their mobile phones for a fee. We are thrilled to launch this partnershp with Orange Telkom Kenya to broaden the reach of our Sun King solar energy solutions and hope to reach millions of Kenyan homes together.”

Greenlight Planet’s Sun King solar home solutions range in price from Kshs 1,000 – 3,600, provide light that is fifteen times brighter than the typical kerosene lantern, charge mobile phones, and pay for themselves in less than 6 months when compared with the typical cost of kerosene and phone charging.

Greenlight Planet recently launched the Sun King Home, a complete rooftop solar solution for the off-grid house for Kshs 7,900. It provides rooftop solar charging, three overhead lighting fixtures and a centralized power station that can charge mobile phones, and other household appliances. The versatility, durability and affordability of these products has improved the lives of more than 3 millionacross sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Vincent Lobry, CEO, Orange Kenya noted that as mobile phones are fast becoming a necessity for most Kenyan households, access to reliable means of energy is imperative for communication, mobile banking and maintaining business interests.

“The mobile phone enlightens people’s minds through communication and information, connecting them to a wider global family. The availability of solar lamps to light up their homes makes a great combination since it facilitates the attainment of more information through the various modes including books and access to electronic mass media,” said Lobry.

Sun King solar products, which also come with a 2 year-warranty, will be available in all Orange retail stores countrywide and may be purchased as part of a bundle with an Orange mobile phone. The Sun King range of products bundled with the Orange mobile phone will cost Kshs 3,899 for the Sun King mobile, Kshs 4,699 for the Sun King Pro2 and Kshs 8,799 for the Sun King Home. The stand-alone solar devices that are not bundled with the Orange device will cost Kshs 2,900 for the Sun King Mobile, Kshs 3,700 for the Sun King Pro2 and Kshs 7,800 for the Sun King Home.

The bundled handset will be data enabled, further increasing the access of data services by Orange subscribers. Orange has in the past three months embarked on improving the quality of its data services, as well as expanding its reach to more regions across the country.

Mobile date remains to be one of the fastest growing services in the mobile telephony market as it reached 14.7 million subscribers from the latest Communication Authority sector statistics. During the quarter under review, Orange grew its mobile data subscriptions to 1.9 million from 1.6 million the previous quarter.

“Data is emerging as the next growth area and with this bundled offer, we are offering more Kenyans the opportunity to experience our quality data services,” added Lobry.