A seven kilowatts solar system, called SolarKiosk Ghana Limited, a fully solar powered and off-grid company, licensed to undertake home and office solar installations in Ghana has been launched in Accra.

SolarKiosk Ghana Limited is a Subsidiary of SolarKiosk AG, a company based in Germany and manufacturers of SolarKiosk, an energy system that provides essential energy services to Base-of-the–Pyramid (BoP) communities.

SolarKiosk also serves as proof that solar technology could be affordable, functional and efficient to communities for self-sustainable economic and social development, Mr Andreas Spiess, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), SolarKiosk AG said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the launch, Mr Spiess said now that the Solarkiosk office runs fully on solar energy, the business would not be affected by the frequent power cuts, adding that the best part is that the system pays for itself within few years.

“Worldwide, about 1.5 billion people at the BoP are not connected to the electricity grid and lack stable energy supply for their daily needs. For many BoP communities, night time means darkness and brings commercial and social activity to a halt.

“So extending the services of SolarKiosk Ghana Limited to rural communities is utmost as sunshine is abundant in many BoP regions and can be utilised as the key resources for an environmentally friendly and sustainable energy solution,” he said.

Mr Spiess noted that SolarKiosk Ghana Limited would enable and empower local entrepreneurship by intertwining an award-winning technology solution with a successful inclusive business model.

He observed that SolarKiosk Ghana Limited had pioneered and scaled up solar-powered technology designs that was tailored for the specific needs of BoP communities and intertwines with an inclusive, flexible and scalable business model.

This would provide clean energy services, affordable solar products and quality consumer goods.

“The World Bank estimates the global market volume for lighting products and energy services in off-grid areas at approximately 30 billion dollars annually (17 billion dollars in Africa alone,” he said.

He observed that currently in Ghana, four regions comprising Greater Accra, Central, Volta and Eastern regions are enjoying SolarKiosk's lasting and evolving experience and would be extended to other regions soon.

“We are hoping to expand to other regions in the next 18 months and it is going to be a step by step exercise.

“We want to bring good and affordable technology, but we will never ever be working with low quality products,” he stated.

On their services and solutions, Mr Spiess, indicated that immediate access to information, education and entertainment, whether it is on finance, hygiene, disease prevention, environmental protection, or social awareness to customers is assured.

“SolarKiosk embraces sustainable economic development with measurable social change and environmental impact,” he said.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview, Mr Ron Acquah, General Manager, SolarKiosk Ghana Limited said SolarKiosk captures existing BoP expenditures on unclean energy sources and diverts them toward solar products and renewable energy services.

He said the first prototype of the kiosk that was manufactured locally is completed and would be implemented and launched soon.