NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Friday, July 3, 2015

Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management, is commercialising its solar powered portable LED lamps with mobile phone charger, the Mobiya TS 120S, in order to offer innovative, reliable and affordable products to people living without access to electricity.

Available from Schneider Electric distributors at under R500 in SA, the Mobiya TS 120S in an energy efficient, eco friendly and robust portable lamp producing 120-lumen light output, perfectly suited for demanding rural environments. The lamp is equipped with a mobile phone charger that includes a USB port, enabling users to charge their mobile phones any time. It features three brightness settings providing up to 48 hours of lighting with one day of solar charge.

“Ideal for off grid households, small shops, street vendors and fishing boats, the Mobiya TS 120S offers users safe and sufficient light for comfortable reading and other household and business activities within an un-electrified household or small business environment,” explains Zanelle Dalglish, head of sustainable development for southern Africa at Schneider Electric.

The lamp is designed in such a way to allow it to be hand carried, hooked to the ceiling, mounted on the wall, placed on the desk, fixed on the top of a bottle, and carried on a pole. This patented design has won Grand Prix, Strategies Du Design 2013 and European Design awards.