Pay-As-You-Go Solar Energy Systems
When the sun goes down, our off-grid rural customers are forced to cease productive activity or use dim, toxic kerosene lanterns for light. Because our customers lack large quantities of up-front capital, the solar energy products that they can afford with cash-in-hand are typically stripped of functionality and often break quickly, contributing to waste, environmental degradation and distrust in alternative energy products. Angaza is changing this paradigm through technological innovation that makes our high-quality, durable solar products within financial reach of all kerosene-dependent customers. Our proprietary Pay-As-You-Go technology consists of embedded components within our solar home system that enable our customers to pre-pay for energy in small increments over time at a lower cost than kerosene. Angaza’s technology is tied directly into regional mobile money systems so customers can purchase “energy credit” via SMS, making the system highly efficient and scalable. Once a customer payment is received, Angaza activates their unit – via the cellular network – for a proportional amount of energy output. The customer experience is seamless, and purchasing energy credit is simpler, more efficient and cheaper than purchasing a liter of kerosene at the store.
Global Benefits
Angaza’s integrated solar home system and Pay-As-You-Go technology displaces dirty, toxic, fuel-based lighting with a high-quality, durable, reliable source of energy. Putting clean energy within financial reach of our customers improves health, provides greater access to education, and reduces environmental degradation. In addition, the integration of Angaza’s technology with the mobile network allows a direct customer link for better servicing and customer support, increasing trust in alternative energy products in off-grid communities. Future product development, and application of the Pay-As-You-Go technology into a variety of consumer goods, will expand the means by which our company can create value for the communities that need it most.
