2017 / Design For Society / Design for Sustainability / Professional

SM100 $5 Solar Light

• Company
  inventid, United Kingdom
• Lead Designer
  Bryn Morgan Henry James
• Design Team
  Lee Ashton Jeremy Ireland
• Client
  Yingli Solar
• Project Link
  view
• Other credit
  Yingli Solar - Manufacturer Solaraid - Charity Partner Sunnymoney - Distribution Partner Mike Hankin - Inventid Team Thomas Rasmussen - Inventid Team Ben Illidge - Inventid Team Patrick Bentley - Location Photography Nathan Chandler - Product Photography

The SM100 is the world's most affordable, quality
solar-powered light. It has been designed to
provide safe, renewable lighting for families in
developing regions. In particular, sub-Saharan
Africa, where light is the key to better education
opportunities and a route out of poverty.

The SM100 is manufactured by Yingli Solar, a
global leader in solar production. It benefits from
over a decade of insight by UK charity SolarAid
who have sold and distributed over one million
solar lights in Africa.

With a $5 retail price the SM100 is a major step
forward in making affordable light available to
everyone. It is helping to eradicate kerosene lamps,
which are dim, expensive to run and cause
respiratory diseases and house fires for families
around the world.

Popular solar lights currently retail in Africa for
between $8 and $10, a price that is out of reach for
families at the bottom of the economic pyramid.

The SM100 offers affordability as well as functional
advantages. The pocket-size light uniquely
features strap holes - making it useful as a head
torch or bike light - and flat sides to support use
off the metal stand as a directional task light.

The SM100 has a rectangular form, which
effectively doubles the number of units per
container when compared to competitor products.
Designed for easy maintenance and upgrade by
local operatives, the SM100 also features a tough,
weather-resistant casing. It means the SM100 will
provide reliable utility for a long time to many
millions of people living in challenging conditions.

The little solar light is already lighting up homes in
a number of African countries and the longterm
ambition is to spread its impact at a global scale.
The SM100 challenges the idea that people living
in poverty can not benefit from quality products
and considerate design.