Our Approach to Development

Alternatives to kerosene, such as possible infrastructure solutions, do offer an answer but are expensive and slow to proliferate. And existing household technologies require investment beyond the reach of those living off the grid and earning $2 per day. Our aim is to create solutions that are affordable but not at the expense of quality or elegant design. 

When developing GravityLight, our team started by looking at existing off grid lighting solutions, with the main category being solar powered lights. Breaking down these products into their component parts, the team observed that batteries comprised a third of the product’s cost and PV panels, another third. They questioned the status quo. Power is typically generated and stored for later use. What if they removed the power storage - the battery? What if power could be generated as it was needed? They could reduce costs and might be able to gain in efficiency. 

Starting with a user’s perspective and a blank sheet of paper.  Creating something “better than a kerosene lamp” became the benchmark for the amount of light needed.