IoT-enabled household battery distribution via micro-retailer networks
THE QUESTION
By providing clean energy charging stations to micro-retailers in Senegal can we get smart batteries to low-income households that are currently without electricity?
LOCATION: Senegal
SECTOR: Energy
TECH: Internet of Things (IoT)
TIMELINE: June 2020 - December 2021
PIONEERS: Phil Outram, Matthew Sellar
PARTNER: 4R Digital
The Challenge
66% of Senagalese living in rural areas do not have access to electricity. It is essential to connect those households to off-grid solutions such as solar home systems and mini grids. These kinds of cleaner household energy solutions are linked with other development goals including health, environment, and gender equality. However, many households cannot afford to pay the initial deposit to sign up to a rent-to-own solar-panel system, a problem which is compounded by restricted access to finance. A further obstacle is the cost of electricity provision, with connection costs representing more than one month’s income for the poorest 40% of household in 'access-deficit countries'.
The Idea
This pilot rapidly designed and tested IoT-enabled, digitally-financed clean energy charging stations for micro-retailers in Senegal. If successful, these stations will allow micro-retailers to generate income by offering smart household-battery energy solutions to low income customers on a lease basis. Portable lithium-ion batteries are used to mitigate the cost barrier as they are cost effective, have a high capacity and are capable of a long life cycle. This pilot aims to serve those at the bottom of the pyramid and offer services to these households that cannot afford to pay the initial deposit to sign up to a rent-to-own solar-panel system. The IoT element of the pilot will collect data from a depleted battery when it is plugged into a charging station at the micro-retailer shop.
All photos on this page were taken by the pilot’s implementing partner, 4R Digital. Read more
Explore the pilot’s final report, which describes key activities and learnings from the pilot’s 13-month journey
The pilot’s report summary can be found here
Read about the pilot’s initial learnings — “Can Mobile Money Agents act as battery rental outlets, and generate new revenues?” and “Off-Grid Electricity Innovations in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lessons Learned”
This post is the second of two blogs which capture learnings from our pilot — ‘IoT-enabled household battery distribution via micro-retailer networks’