Cardiff, Wales and Accra, Ghana – May 12, 2008 – Solar Pioneer G24 Innovations (G24i) has been announced as a winner of the prestigious 2008 ‘Lighting Africa Development Marketplace’ awards, at a ceremony in Accra, Ghana. Established by the World Bank in 1998, this year’s award set out to acknowledge and reward the development of products which provide the most innovative, off-grid lighting solutions for the 500 million people without electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa.
G24i was recognised by an international panel of experts for the creation of a cutting edge solar powered LED light which utilises their proprietary Dye Sensitised Thin Film solar cells. Silicon free, the cells are extremely lightweight and durable, making them ideal for rugged conditions. They are able to generate electricity in poorly lit and indoor conditions, providing users with low cost, high quality light when and where it is needed.
G24i, with support from LED lighting manufacturer Lemnis, will receive a grant of $200,000 to further develop the light and to set up large scale distribution in the launch country, Rwanda. It will be G24i’s second product following the launch of their solar powered mobile phone charger in 2007. The mobile phone chargers are also designed for the developing world, where mobile phone sales are already growing at a rapid rate, despite widespread lack of access to electricity.
“Lack of access to affordable and reliable energy is a main contributor to poverty today. More than 1.6 billion people worldwide are without access to electricity and the problem is most acute in sub Saharan Africa," said World Bank Lead Energy Specialist Anil Cabraal. "People there are forced to rely upon kerosene or even lower quality forms of energy to obtain inferior quality lighting that is also a cause of serious indoor pollution. They also have, in aggregate, a substantial carbon footprint. G24 Innovation’s light will help solve these problems and we are delighted to be sponsoring it as one of our winners for 2008.”
Robert Hertzberg Chairman of G24 Innovations, said: “It is a great honour to be recognised with this award. We believe that our technology has the potential to revolutionise personal energy, materially improving the lives of a huge number of people across the globe. This prize will make a real difference in helping us to provide a reliable and high-quality source of light for the developing world which does not damage the environment.”
G24i is the world's first company to produce commercial grade Dye-Sensitised Thin Film solar cells. The company is developing a wide range of applications for its technology, including portable electronics, clothing, tents, and building materials and is exploring how to make solar power a viable energy option for new geographies and regions around the world.
Notes to Editors:
About G24i
G24 Innovations (G24i), a UK based company, is the world’s first to commercially manufacture next generation Dye-Sensitized Thin Film solar cells, an alternative to traditional silicon solar cells.
Dye-Sensitized Thin Film solar cells are unique in that they are extremely lightweight, durable, and produce electricity in low-light and indoor conditions. As a result, G24i’s advanced solar cells are perfect for powering mobile electronic devices such as mobile telephones, cameras, and portable LED lighting systems.
On a larger scale, G24i’s flexible thin film integrates effectively into clothing, tents, electronic advertising displays, and works well for indoor building integrated photovoltaic systems where local regulation requires on site generation or significant energy efficiency measures.
G24i’s proprietary high speed roll-to-roll manufacturing process allows for large volume production at our 23 acre, 187,000 square foot facility. Further information at: www.g24i.com.
For more information, please contact:
G24 Innovations:
Eliot Abel
+44 (0) 2920 837 340
eliot.abel@g24i.com
FD (PR):
Andy Field or Oliver Williams
+44 (0) 20 7831 3113
andy.field@fd.com
olly.williams@fd.com
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