Greenlight Planet won Ashden Award, world’s most prestigious green awards, for increasing energy access, supported by the IKEA Foundation.
Greenlight Planet has to date sold over five million quality solar products across the world. Sun King, solar products, makes around 44 per cent of their sales are presently in India with more than two million solar lamps. The products are pocket friendly as it ranges from the smallest $8 lamp up to the $125 solar home system (three lights and two charging sockets).
Some Sun King solar products such as the Pro All Night light offer mobile phone charging too. A household typically saves $75 per year on the cost of kerosene and phone charging.
The Ashden Awards are a globally recognised measure of excellence in the field of sustainable energy and each winner receives up to £30,000 prize money (just under Rs 30 lakh) as well as tailored business support to scale up their work.
The IKEA Foundation sponsors the Ashden Award for Increasing Energy Access to find practical, affordable ways to bring energy to the poorest families. Renewable energy gives families electric light to study and work by, improving children’s health, access to education and wellbeing.
Per Heggenes, CEO of IKEA Foundation said: “All over the world, kerosene lamps and smoky stoves are putting children’s health at risk and polluting our environment. Greenlight Planet’s innovative products offer a solution to this problem and bring clean, affordable energy to some of the world’s poorest children and their families. We believe all children have the right to a healthy start in life and providing their families with renewable power is an important step towards energy democratization.”
According to the Award judges: “Greenlight Planet is revolutionising the solar lighting industry by offering a turn-key solution to distributors in emerging economies. The huge global reach of their work means that they are really democratising solar energy for the masses.”
Patrick Walsh, CEO and Founder of Greenlight Planet, said: "On behalf of our hardworking rural sales agents, employees and off-grid families everywhere, we thank Ashden for this recognition. Today, over 20 million off-grid villagers use Sun King for light every day. But to reach the one billion people who are still in the dark each night, we must continue to innovate to develop better technology, and find better ways to reach remote off-grid families and make energy more affordable to families that need it most.”
Sarah Butler-Sloss, Ashden’s Founder Director, said: “Sustainable energy is interconnected with so many other huge issues such as access to clean water, livelihoods, women’s empowerment and access to financing to be able to start a business. This year’s Ashden International Award winners are, without exception, all transforming lives and we’re proud to have the opportunity to support their game-changing work.”
Winners will be presented with their Award at a ceremony being hosted by BBC journalist Mishal Husain at the Royal Geographical Society in London on Thursday 9 June, when the winners of the Ashden UK and International Gold Awards will also be announced.
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