Upya Notes from the Last Mile: Enabling the uptake of appliances for entertainment and productive use
By: Upya Technologies
Tags: Last Mile, Africa, Green Energy, Off Grid Solar Systems, CRM

As off-grid technologies mature, existing end-users will aspire to move up the energy ladder. Owning to their increasing energy (and by extension economic) security, they will hope to procure increasingly sophisticated off-grid devices, such as TVs, refrigerators and solar pumps. With the evolution of backlighting technologies, LCD TVs have now replaced cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs as the technology of choice in rural households. They are usually designed to work using direct current (DC) to enable their integration with SHS technology and there are multiple manufacturers that design high-performance and low-power requirement TVs for the off-grid market such as Amped Innovation and CELLO. LCDs typically use 50% less power that CRT, and those that are backlit using LEDs decrease power consumption by a further 20–30%, with an estimated consumption power requirement of 10–15 Watts, depending on screen size and SHS capacity. Furthermore, as with radios, TVs are more than just a source of entertainment, but also a source of information , and, in many communities, and can even be a community status symbol. TVs are increasingly available under PAYG financing options, particularly for households who have already paid off an existing SHS and having such a favourable credit history, distributors are keen to up-sell more advanced products such as TVs.

Refrigerators

Image: Ideas to Impact

As with televisions, refrigerators are gaining popularity among off-grid communities due to their practicality. Refrigerators provide a vital part of any commercial enterprise, not least those in sub-Saharan climates. Their comparatively high energy consumption means that they can only be accommodated by larger SHS. However they can have a significant impact on productivity and income. A recent Energy4Impact survey found that the majority of fridge-owning businesses are run by women, enabling their enterprises to be competitive and giving their produce a longer lifespan. SHS-focused refrigerators usually use alternating current (AC), with a rated power of around 40 watts. By contrast, traditional fridges are rated at around 200 watts. Furthermore, studies have shown that the refrigerator market in Africa is permeated by both domestic (ADH and Mika) and foreign (Sony and LG) brands.

Fans

Image: PV Tech

An often-overlooked aspect of SHS, accessories are indoor fans which represent another in-demand and financeable appliance for off-grid communities. Furthermore, the range of fans available (box, pedestal, ceiling) makes them affordable for most entry level SHS end-users. Design changes and the adoption of brushless DC motors has led to up to 50% greater efficiency of solar fans, with power requirements ranging from 7 watts (box fan) to 30 watts (ceiling fan). Fans play a key role in maintaining indoor temperatures for homes and businesses in sub-Saharan climates.

Conclusion

The advance of SHS and PAYG technology has led to an ever-growing spectrum of appliances and technologies. Lithium iron phosphate batteries are becoming more competitive against lead acid batteries, with the advantages of longer lifecycles and a higher charge capacity. The growth of wireless communications has meant that PAYG now extends to many previously unbanked end users, as well as improved security mechanisms such as GSM and PAYG-token generation with keypad verification allowing for greater control over deployed appliances.

Owing to the flexibility of Upya’s CRM platform, the software can be used to support last mile distributors to deploy and manage a wide range of distributed assets on our platform and help them build sustainable and impactful businesses.