New Results Based Financing Programs Accelerate Clean Energy Access
August 6, 2024 – Liberia and Redwood City, CA, USA – Today Amped Innovation and Rural Solar Inc. announced a new partnership to expand clean energy access across Liberia. A key project the two companies are supporting is The Liberia Solar Home System Results-based Financing (LSHS-RBF) program. Jointly implemented by Energising Development (EnDev) and BRAC Liberia with funding from the Netherlands Government Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS), the Rural and Renewable Energy Agency (RREA) and the World Bank, this RBF is expected to reach at least 37,000 Liberians through direct subsidies, and 78,000 through indirect subsidies.
The goal of the RBF is to provide access to clean energy services in Liberia through off-grid solar home systems and close the affordability gap faced by the most vulnerable parts of the population. The need for the off-grid sector in Liberia remains vast. A significant portion of the population still relies on solar home systems even in urban and suburban areas because of the limited access to the national grid, road infrastructure, civil conflict and pandemics. Together, Rural Solar and Amped aim to install 2,900 solar kits this year and 6,900 kits over the next 24 months.
“Having visited many of these rural communities across Liberia, reliable and affordable energy access remains a big need,” said Lee Walkie, CEO and Founder of Rural Solar. “The quality of Amped’s solar products keeps our after-sales strong and warranty low compared to others. Specifically, the Amped WowSolar PAYGO keypad is really easy for our customers to use compared to digital keypads. This feature, combined with our Upya CRM, makes repayments more secure than other options on the market.”
The RBF also aims to stimulate entrepreneurship and green workforce development for emerging solar distribution companies. The partnership between Amped and Rural Solar combines the unique strengths of both organizations. Under the leadership of its founder, Lee Walkie, a seasoned business leader with broad experience in off grid solar sales and last mile distribution, Rural Solar contributes its extensive network and market knowledge to the Liberian market. Rural Solar is a member of the Liberian Off-Grid Task Force, which was established by the Government of Liberia, international development agencies, local businesses and supported by the Beyond the Grid for Africa Fund (BGFA) to operationalize and improve affordable access to solar energy systems. Often, when we arrive in these areas, the locals organize formal welcoming ceremonies to express their gratitude for reaching them.
The WowSolarTM Advantage
Amped Innovation's WowSolar product line includes high-performance, upgradeable solar and battery solutions for cost-effective, reliable clean energy. Amped’s kits are designed to provide brighter lights, longer run times between charges and automatically dim lamps when the battery runs low, extending the runtime for customers by an extra hour. Unlike other similar products on the market, customers can charge up to two mobile phones without compromising evening runtime. Rural Solar has primarily been stocking WowSolar 60, 100 and 400 lighting and charging kits.
“We’re honored to partner with Rural Solar, a team of industry veterans, and match their ambition to close the energy access gaps,” said Andi Kleissner, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Amped Innovation. “The need for clean energy access remains acute and these new programs will help accelerate clean energy for Liberians.”
About Rural Solar
Rural Solar Inc is a leading solar home system distributor in Liberia. The company is committed to providing access to quality, clean, affordable, and better energy services in existing and underserved markets across Liberia. Learn more about Rural Solar on its website and follow Rural Solar on Facebook.
About Amped Innovation
Amped Innovation is a public benefit corporation that builds affordable, reliable solar systems and appliances for small businesses and households in emerging markets. It’s sold over 220,000 off-grid solar home systems across 30 countries in Africa and Asia and continues to build its product line of highly-efficient solar powered appliances including refrigerators, fans and televisions. Learn more about Amped by visiting the Amped website and following Amped on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Media contact: info@ampedinnovation.com
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