The Solar Powered Smart Battery Rental System provides access to electricity to underserved communities in Sierra Leone. Mobile Power, a provider of electricity using smart batteries, is behind this initiative.
Mobile Power, a provider of electricity from smart batteries, recently partnered with Dan Gladwin, a researcher at the Institute of Energy and the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the University of Sheffield in England. The aim is to find a solution to the problem of access to electricity for disadvantaged communities in Sierra Leone. A study carried out by Mobile Power between 2016 and 2017 showed that 20% of household income in the country is spent on lighting and charging mobile phones. According to the report, “much of this lighting cost is used to buy disposable batteries, and it is these batteries that create environmental problems”.
The collaboration between Power Mobile and the British researcher has led to the development of smart batteries that pay for themselves. The devices are powered by solar charging stations before being delivered to customers. This makes it possible to limit the use of traditional generators using highly polluting petrol. To date, the new solar-powered smart batteries have already reduced electricity costs in Sierra Leone by 75 per cent.
Pay-as-you-go to facilitate access to electricity via batteries
To facilitate access to its new solution, Mobile Power relies on pay-as-you-go, a rental-purchase system widely used by solar kit suppliers in Africa. The advantage of this payment system is that the customer can use the smart battery while paying money to Mobile Power.
Power Mobile and experts from the University of Sheffield are currently working on a new model of intelligent lithium-ion batteries. According to Mobile Power, the new smart batteries will be much larger and will therefore be able to store electricity produced by solar-powered mini grids. The lithium-ion batteries will also be available for rental for domestic, commercial or transportation use. These features make the lithium-ion battery one of the best current solutions for powering nomadic devices such as cameras, mobile phones, hybrid cars and electric cars.
Inès Magoum
