PICO PV 4 Africa

The Pico PV 4 Africa project aims to promote solar technology and its quality standards, while strengthening the capacity of local companies to provide rural populations sunlamps quality at affordable prices.

To this end, the project will develop a participatory distribution market, including social marketing, to improve rural access to basic energy solutions for lighting and phone charging. The ultimate goal is to establish an efficient and sustainable supply chain and reliable distribution model lamps and solar kits for people at the base of the pyramid in peri-urban and rural areas.

Objectives

• Raise awareness and increase demand for solar products of good quality at community level and other actors active in the solar sector;

• Develop innovative business models that reach the market of people at the bottom of the pyramid (BoP);

• Launch a learning process on the last step of distribution strategies (last km): by establishing a different true innovation lab where brands can grow, reproduce and collectively improve distribution strategies "last kilometer ";

• Improve access to price of solar lights and solar home systems through the development of mechanisms and funding for solar products along the distribution chain and successful advocacy for tax exemptions pico products - Solar;

• Advocate for quality assurance mechanisms (self-regulation in the sector);

• Contribute to the growth of the solar industry through the development of knowledge and networking;

• Advocate for an enabling policy environment at PV pico (and small-scale renewable energy) in particular.

Pico PV 4 Africa will trigger, initiate and accelerate the development of sustainable markets for lighting solutions off-grid, affordable and modern (pico PV) for low-income households and small businesses across Burkina Faso, DR Congo and Uganda. The availability of pico PV systems will improve access to better lighting in areas not yet connected to the electricity grid areas. This project uses compelling approaches to fight against the existing trade barriers to developing the use of solar energy in these countries. It supports the creation of concepts and develops business models that reach those at the bottom of the pyramid (BoP). This is possible when a collaborative approach between different actors is used, and that includes an exchange component of knowledge.

To date, the project has allowed the sale of 3,000 solar lamp units and kits certified in 2014, and for 2015 until the end of June, 6,806 units.