1.6 billion people in the world still use kerosene lamps for light. Not only are they non-renewable and expensive — they can consume up to 5% of a family’s income — they also give off noxious cancer-causing fumes that amount to the emissions of 30 million cars. Nokero plans to improve air quality and reduce global warming emissions by replacing the unhealthy use of kerosene with their durable, rainproof, solar powered LED light bulb. They hope that this low cost, rechargeable light bulb will improve lives in the developing world by allowing people to kick kerosene to the curb.
The Nokero light is fitted with 4 solar panels, 5 LED’s, is about 5 inches long, and when fully charged it will give off light for up to four hours. It is rainproof so there’s no worry of it being damaged by the elements, and it has a nighttime-only circuit in it that prevents the light from turning on in the daytime. The battery lasts for over two years, and as most of us now know, the LED’s will last even longer. It has a hook for hanging and is currently available for purchase.
The Nokero team is selling the bulbs right now for $15 each — or you can buy 48 bulbs for $10 each. They hope to get costs down to as low as $6 by manufacturing thousands at a time for different NGO’s and non-profits around the world. Currently the world uses 1.3 million barrels of oil per day for illumination — imagine if those 1.6 billion people were given a little Nokero light. We’d be giving them a light that is five times brighter for 1/200 of the energy expended.
Via Engadget
11 Responses to “Rainproof Solar LED Bulb Could Illuminate the Developing World”
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This is a great piece of design. The use of kerosene lamps and so-called heavy fuels for heating and lighting commit black carbon to the atmosphere; an arguably more damaging pollutant to the atmosphere than standard Co2 emmissions in terms of its greenhouse effect, although black carbon only stays in the atmosphere for a number of weeks as oppossed to hundreds of years for CO2. Eliminating the use of unneccesary black carbon emitting fuels allows us to remove a damaging pollutant
Great news! Would be interested to know how much the bulbs cost> In Tanzania I am in touch with a group of poor villagers who uses karosene for fuel and next October will go back again for few months and would like to introduce your lamp.
I am not part of an organization.
I was in Tanzania for 8 months (2007-8) and helped set up a kindergarden with funding I brought with me which now operate as local NGO
Would be interested to know more about the lamp.
Than you,
Gemma Ravagni
Please email me further information on your solar LED light.
Lfgroup@gmail.com
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Dear:
I am from Bangladesh,would like to buy min 10,000 solar LED light. Please send me the price with details information.
Thanks.
Muhammed Anisul Kabir (Jasir)
makjasir@yahoo.com
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How many watts?
Nice post! oh! these bulbs are awesome. These are solar and rainproof. Can we find these bulbs in indian markets?
Technology
Send me information about shipping cost to the Philippines if I buy 48 bulbs. thanks! how about the warranty?
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