In many developing countries, the common outcry amongst the masses is perhaps lack of electricity. This is accordance with a report by the International Energy Agency.
According to the report, nearly more than 633 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa didn’t have access to electricity. What’s even more shocking is the fact that these 633 million constitute more than 68 percent of total African Population.
Not only this but there are even countries with less than 10 percent of the population having electricity access. These include but not limited to Burundi, Chad, Liberia, Malawi and South Sudan.
To mitigate the problem, there were temporary solutions, but perhaps now the one which stands out is surely GravityLight. This is way more efficient than any other sources of electricity.
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As the name implies, it is pretty innovative in the sense, that electricity gets generating through lifting a weight. For all those, who find it insane to use a kerosene lamp where the technology has advanced so much in the world, it would be a glad news.
The idea is straightforward; when a bag full of heavy weights slowly descends attached to a cord, it will generate enough electricity to power a lamp.
The lamp here, in this case, has been designed by Martin Riddiford and Jim Reeves and was given the name “GravityLight”. Not only is this a cheap source of electricity, but lasts for quite some time too. Here, in this case, the gravitational pull of the earth helps garner nearly 30 minutes of Lamp time.
To those interested in the mechanics, to have enough weight for gravity to take its action, a 20-pound weight is attached. The weight might be made up of rocks or earth or whatever that is easy to find and cheap.
The bag then needs to be lifted up to the base of the device, and then let gravity do its wonders. This then powers the lamp attached accordingly. For those places in the house which need extra light, another model was released which accommodates more light.
To all the environmentalists, they would be much happy using a GravityLight. It is safer to use since there aren’t any sort of emissions involved as is the case with kerosene lamps, or other sources of electricity from power plants.
Furthermore, it is much cheaper in the long run, since you just need an initial investment to buy what? Rocks and earth but yes a GravityLight too. Not only this, there aren’t any operating costs associated with it either. Moreover, the light it emits is five times brighter than the average kerosene lamp.
GravityLight has managed to raise a total of $800,000 courtesy its crowdfunding campaigns. The campaigns would aid in the release and manufacture of this innovative invention.
The campaigns took place in two parts, one in 2013 and the other in 2015.
The goal of the company to provide cheap and clean yet efficient light across the whole of Africa. To do so, the company still needs donations and people around the world are playing their part in helping them.
Unsurprisingly, therefore Gravity Light made it to one of The 25 Best Inventions of the Year 2013 by Time Magazine and there is no doubt in that.
