Philips aims to light up rural Africa

News

17 October 2012 News

A new initiative from Philips will see the installation of 100 so-called ‘light centres’ across rural Africa by 2015. These are areas of roughly 1000 m², or the size of a small soccer pitch, which are lit using a new generation of highly efficient solar powered LED lighting.

The idea is to create areas of light for rural communities which live without electricity, thus effectively ‘extending the day’ and creating numerous opportunities for social and economic activities in the evening.

Philips made this announcement at the concluding leg of its third consecutive Cairo to Cape Town road show, which has focused on topics relating to key challenges facing Africa and how new innovations can address these: Mother and Child Care, energy efficient LED and solar lighting solutions.

The light centres, the first 40 of which are scheduled for installation later this year, will be focused on schools which are closely linked to villages and towns in off-grid or semi-grid areas; this can also include parts of cities. They will provide communal areas which can be used for sport and many other activities such as healthcare, education, social and commerce.

Philips has committed an investment of 1,2 million Euros to this project, spread over three years. Maintenance would be self-sustaining as local authorities/owners can rent out the light or advertising space and generate an income.

Philips has already completed installing light centres in Egypt, Morocco, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa during its Cairo to Cape Town road show 2012. The setup includes four 8 m poles fixed in the ground and hoisting four LED lights which consume less power than a 60 W light bulb and provide around 20 lux of cold white light across an area of 1000 m².

For more information visit www.philips.com/africaroadshow

Share this article:

Strengthening industry through strategic partnerships at KITE 2025
Specialised Exhibitions News
The KwaZulu-Natal Industrial Technology Exhibition is not just an exhibition, it is a powerhouse of industry collaboration where visitors and exhibitors gain access to authoritative insights, technical expertise, and high-impact networking opportunities.

Read more...

Solar Youth Project calls on industry to step up
News
With the second cohort completed training and the first cohort returning for their final module, host companies are urgently needed to turn the training into a long-term opportunity.

Read more...

Conlog powers SA’s future with national smart meter rollout
News
Conlog recently secured the RT29-2024 contract from National Treasury, which is seen to be a major milestone towards modernising SA’s utility infrastructure.

Read more...

Zuchongzhi-3 sets new benchmark
News
This latest superconducting quantum computing prototype features 105 qubits and 182 couplers to operate at a speed 10¹5 times faster than the most powerful supercomputer currently available.

Read more...

Automatic device attestation certificate for Panasonic
News
DigiCert recently announced it has partnered with Panasonic Industry Europe to integrate DigiCert Device Trust Manager with Panasonic’s PAN-MaX intelligent manufacturing service for seamless Matter certification of interoperable smart home devices.

Read more...

From the editor's desk: Are we really being ripped off?
Technews Publishing News
To the surprise of many customers, installing solar panels does not always eliminate their utility bill – and in some cases, the power utility may impose additional charges on solar-powered homes.

Read more...

Winner of the Advanced Electronics Challenge
Avnet Silica News
Avnet Silica has named Hydronauten winner of the Advanced Electronics Challenge for breakthrough AI-driven vibration damping technology.

Read more...

Categories

News

Philips aims to light up rural Africa

Further reading:

Publications by Technews