Lighting Africa just released the French version of Solar Lighting for the Base of the Pyramid – Overview of an Emerging Market (L’éclairage solaire pour la base de la pyramide – panorama d’un marché emergent). The report, which was published in English in late 2010, provides a snapshot and projects trends in the solar portable lighting market in Africa, where millions still rely on expensive, often ineffective, and sometimes dangerous fuel-based lighting, such as kerosene lamps.

The report found that the market potential in Africa for solar portable lights is enormous and ripe for investment. The findings indicate a 40 to 50 percent compounded annual growth rate in sales volume – or a total of 13 million solar portable lights – by 2015. Current market penetration is only at 0.5 percent of the under-electrified and under-electrified African population.

Technological advancements and innovative products and business models have vastly improved the quality of solar portable lights over the past five years, making them more affordable to low-income buyers and better suited to consumer needs. By converting from kerosene to clean energy, millions of consumers can improve their health, reduce their spending on expensive fuels, and, ultimately, benefit from better illumination and more productive time in their homes, schools and businesses.

The Lighting Africa report gathered input from a broad range of industry experts, manufacturers, distributors and civil society organizations in over ten African markets. It will become a bi-yearly publication.