An estimated 1.5 billion people have no access to electricity. Countless more have limited access or are unable to use it with any regularity. Electricity may seem like a modern luxury, and to some not a necessity, but a lack of electricity has a large number of negative consequences. Much of the developing world and the communities without proper electricity rely on the burning of wood and fossil fuels as a source of heat and to cook. This practice of open-fire and kerosene usage leads to health risks, increased greenhouse gas emissions, and deforestation. However, with recent advances in technology those lacking access to electricity, otherwise known as energy poverty, is on the decline.

Solar power is the leading solution to energy poverty. It is renewable, readily available, and the devices used to generate solar power are becoming less and less expensive. Companies like Goalzero and WakaWaka have already developed compact solar panels for the use of charging small devices like mobile phones and laptops. But these devices cannot power a house, or aid in the cooking for a whole village. That’s where SMILE comes in. SMILE stands for Solar Mobile Independent Low-cost Energy System. It is currently being designed and tested by Norwegian company Heliac. Heliac CEO, Heinrik Parnov states that the developing world needs “a cheap, robust, and self contained” device to be used to generate power.

SMILE is a large piece of specialized foil that, when used with companion devices like a stove or heating unit, generates large amounts of energy. SMILE is cheaper to manufacture and more durable than glass framed solar panels. While not meant to replace large power grids or increased infrastructure, SMILE is being developed to create safer, smarter, and healthier developing communities and by extension a healthier world. Currently, the project is seeking funding on Kickstarter and has met about a quarter of its $44,000 goal.

– Joe Kitaj

Sources: IEA, Waka-Waka, Kickstarter, Engineering
Photo: Kickstarter