Kerosene Free Freetown

KEROSENE FREE
FREETOWN (KFF)
Bringing clean and affordable lightning
alternatives to the residents of Freetown.
Francis Stevens George
Kerosene Free Freetown. Francis Stevens George. 2013-14 1

The Idea,Why and Benefits

The Idea
• Kerosene Free Freetown is a project initiated by Francis &
Francis Solar to increase the adoption of solar charged LED
lamps by the residence of Freetown
• Our vision is to see a Kerosene Free Freetown
• Our mission is to (a) increase awareness of the benefits of
switching to cleaner lightning; (b) increase the adoption of
solar charged LED and (c) make solar charged LED
affordable
• The project was conceive by Francis Stevens George, who
was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Francis leaves in Oslo.
Joining Francis is Dr. Francis Dove-Edwin
• http://www.kerosenefreefreetown.org/
•

Three Stages
Awareness Accessibility Affordability

Why Kerosene Free Freetown
• Energy Poverty
• Health
• Education
• Safety
• Empowerment
• Economics-Huge Savings!

Energy Poverty
• “Without energy, there is no
economic growth, there is no
dynamism, and there is no
opportunity.”The effort to tackle
energy poverty may look as if it has
been at a standstill because estimates
of the number of people without
electricity have barely changed for
years. Access to energy is absolutely
fundamental in the struggle against
poverty,” said World BankVice
President Rachel Kyte.

Health
• Kerosene is expensive, dangerous and
poisonous
• Toxic kerosene fumes are dangerous
for children and causes lung diseases
• Indoor pollution kills thousands and
leads to respiratory illness in children
• Solar LED systems improve the
quality of light and eliminate the
health risks associated with fuel-
based lighting such as burns, house-
fires, carbon monoxide, volatile
organics, black soot and other air
quality problems

Health
•About 3.5 million people,
mainly women and
children, die each year
from respiratory illness
due to harmful indoor air
pollution from wood and
biomass cookstoves.
That’s more than double
the annual deaths
attributed either to
malaria (1.2 million) or to
HIV/AIDS (1.5 million).

Education
• Thousands of children do not go
to school in Freetown.Those
who do are not able to study
properly due to poor
lightning, severely
hampering their education.
•Those who use kerosene
light have to endure toxic
fumes, irritation of the eyes
and not to mention poor
light for reading.

Safety
•Hundreds of fires occur every
year from kerosene lamps
and open fires.There is are
strong estimates to suggest
that many fires in Sierra
Leonean households are
caused by kerosene or
candles, with poor electricity
wiring a culprit also.
•The little girl is from the East
End of Freetown who
suffered terrible burns from
Kerosene

Empowerment
•We strongly believe that
expenditures on kerosene,
candles and batteries, keep our
people in poverty, limit their
options, causes them bad health
and endanger their safety. High
quality, affordable solar lantern
and other forms of clean energy
will empower our fellow citizens
to improve their lives.The
savings, for example, from
switching to our solar lanterns,
would be felt immediately by a
family.

UN Sustainable Energy for All
•Kerosene Free Freetown will contribute
to key goals set forth by the UN and the
Sustainable Energy for All initiative.
- Universal access to energy
- Improved energy efficiency
- Increased share of renewable energy
- The education and health of children
- The safety and empowerment of women
- The important access to telecom services

Benefits• Economic Benefits
Annual savings of 96.5 USD per
household per year
Opportunities for income
generation
• Reduction in C02 emission
136.7 thousand tonnes of carbon
dioxide emissions reduction
annually. This is equivalent to 34.2
thousand mid-size cars off
the road
• Environmental, Health and
Social Benefits
-800,000 households with better
quality light
-Reduction or elimination of fuel-
related health issues, fire hazards
and toxic fumes
-Better light for studying
•
• The widespread use of
modern, off-grid lighting
technologies delivers
significant socio-economic,
health and environmental
benefits including: new
income generation
opportunities for small
businesses; longer hours
and better illumination for
studying; improved safety
by reducing the fire hazard
associated with flammable
fuels; and improved health
from less indoor air
pollution and greenhouse
gas emissions

Implementation/How it will work
• Partnership with the Micro Finance Institutions
• Partnership with NGOs and other relevant organisations
• Launch the Diaspora Solar project (www.disaporasolar.com)
• Create women entrepreneurs
• CreateYoung People as distributors (HighYouth Employment)

The Numbers

Potential Savings by Freetown
Households
• Freetown residents can save annually $22.325
million*, $94 per household (Le407.000)
• Freetown residents can save annually $22.325
million*, $94 per household (Le407.000)
• Replacing Kerosene, candles can yield a saving of $95 per
household. This is income that be used for education for
example
• Off grid population is 4.5 million. Assume 4 residents
per household gives 1.125 million households
• The country can save $109 million dollars by replacing
Kerosene, candles with Solar Lantern
• $109 million saved can be deposited in Banks!

National Numbers
• 17 million litres of kerosene is consumed by households
every year costing the country $18.9 million.
• 468 million candles is used by household every year
costing the country $87.7 million.
• Spending on batteries amounts to $2,04 yearly (the figures do
not include batteries for so called “Chinese Lamps”)
• Household yearly spending on kerosene, candles
and batteries is $97,2
National Kerosene Candles Total
Monthly 16.80 78 97.2
Yearly 18.9 mill 87.750 mill 109 mill
Off grid population is 4.5 million. Assume 4 residents per household gives 1.125
million households
Recent research has shown a high expenditure on batteries for Chinese LED Lamps. See slide on Henry-The Driver

Freetown Off Grid Population & Expenditure on
unsustainable lightning sources
• 1.2 million residents as of
2010 (IncludesWestern Area)
• 950.000 residents off grid
(80%)
• Household spend $16.80 per
year on kerosene = $3.99
million*
• Household spend $78 per year
on candles=$18.525 million*
* Assume 4 residents per
household; 237.500 households
21%
79%
79%
Freetown
Access to Grid No Access
Kerosene,
USD
16.80,
18%
Candles,
USD
78.00,
82%
Household Expenditure on
Unsustainable Sources of Light
Kerosene Candles

Freetown and National
Expenditures (Table)
Freetown Kerosene Candles Total
Monthly $16.80 $78 97.2
Yearly $3.99 mill $18.5 mill 22.49 mill
National Kerosene Candles Total
Monthly 16.80 78 97.2
Yearly 18.9 mill 87.750 mill 106 mill
Recent research has shown a high expenditure on batteries for Chinese LED Lamps. See slide on Henry-The Driver.
The numbers above does not included batteries for Chinese LED Lamps.
The battery numbers used here are typical LED acide for touch lights
Total includes batteries
Total includes batteries

Household Analysis I-Kerosene,
Candles and Batteries(USD)
Kerosene+candles+Batteries
• KeroseneYearly cost= $16.80 (14.4
*$1.16)
• Candles yearly costs=$78 (781*$0,10)
• Batteries yearly=$2,04
• Total $97,2
Replace with Solar Lamp
• Solar Lamp costs $40
• Payback is 5 months (40/97.2*12)
• Note that recent field visit revealed
batteries costs higher(See Henry-
The Driver slide)

Henry, the Driver
• Henry and the battery for solar argument. He buys the Chinese
lamp, which uses two batteries (depending on lamp specs). Henry
estimates he spends 7500 a week on batteries, which works out to
Le 30.000 a month.With his information we can deduce as follows:
Cost of the lamp= Le 10.000/12.000
Running costs:
Monthly costs = 7500@4= Le 30.000
Yearly costs of 360.000
The argument for buying a solar lantern at Le 245.000 is very
strong.With a micro loan, Henry could take up a loan to purchase
the finance of a solar lantern.

Henry the Driver Analysis
Chinese LED Lamp (NOT
Kerosene Lamp)
• Costs: LE 10.000/12.000
• Running: Battery
• LE 360.000
• Solar Lamp costs $40 (LE 180.000)
• Payback is 6 months
(180.000/360.00*12)

The Role of MFI-Finance Salone,
Consumer Finance and Leasing
and LS Financial Group

The Case for MFI
• Most low-income consumers spend approximately US$ 5-10 per
month for kerosene, wick lamps, batteries and candles.This money
could be saved if solar lighting is used. However, consumers are very
often reluctant or unable to make an up front investment of US $ 40 or
more dollars, due both to the nature of their available cash flows as well
as to the real and perceived risks of investing in a potentially sub-
standard product.
• The Bright Lamp has won three international prizes for innovation,
multifunctionality, battery technology and design
• We offer 1 year warranty
• Battery life is 5-7 years
• Running/Maintenance costs = Zero

MFI promoting Clean Energy
• Finance Salone and CFL takes a leadership role and leadership in
innovation in making clean lightning alternatives available
• Combating indoor pollution which kills hundred of thousands and
leads to respiratory illness
• Create better lightning for students to study at night
• Improving safety for women
• Creating opportunities for income generation (renting the lamps,
charging mobile phones, keeping market stalls open longer)

Financing 1 (for discussion only!)
• What is the interest on a typical micro loan
• A typical loan will be USD 40
*Cost for lending 10%
*Default rate 2%
• 12% base interest
• On a loan of 40 USD the cost will be 4.8 USD
• Estimated transaction costs USD 7
• Interest + Default+Transaction Costs
• $4 + $ 0.8 + $20= $ 11.80
• 29.5%
• Payback $51.80

Household Analysis I-Keresone, Candles
and Batteries(USD) with Financing
Kerosene+candles+Batteries
• KeroseneYearly cost= $16.80 (14.4
*$1.16)
• Candles yearly costs=$78 (781*$0,10)
• Batteries yearly=$2,04
• Total $97,2
• Solar Lamp costs $40
• Payback is 6.4 months
(51.80/97.2*12)

Henry the Driver Analysis-With
Financing
Chinese LED Lamp (NOT
Kerosene Lamp)
• Costs: LE 10.000/12.000
• Running: Battery
• LE 360.000
• Solar Lamp costs $40 (LE 180.000)
• Payback is 6.4 months (51.80/97.2*12)

In the final Analysis

Organization/ Next Steps

Structure/Partners
LS Financial Group
Consumer Finance
and Leasing
Finance Salone
Limited
Francis & Francis Solar-
Importer/Agent/Distributor/Technical
Support

Kerosene Free Freetown-Actors
• Project managed by Francis & Francis Solar
• Project will enable UTB, Finance SALONE,CFL to promote clean
and sustainable Lightning at the consumer level
• Project partners include, UnionTrust Bank, Finance SALONE
Limited, Consumer Finance and LeasingCo.

Actions/Next steps
• MOU signed with Finance Salone,CFL and LS FinancialGroup
• Agree on roles (*F&F Solar imports and distributes the lamps, MFIs
offers financing to customers, MFIs can buy outright stocks from
F&F for resale, F&F responsible for technical support and servicing
warranty)
• Create awareness campaign
• Run a pilot with 50 lamps each to Finance Salone,CFL and LS
FinancialGroup. F& F solar is in the process of bringing in the
lamps.The lamps will be available at USD 45 (for pilot)
*F&F is Francis & Francis Solar

NOTES

Country Specific Data

Indoor Pollution
• According to Global Health Risks: Mortality and
burden of disease attributable to selected major
risks indoor air pollution is responsible for 2.7% of
the global burden of disease.
• Sources of indoor pollution cooking with biomass
fuels, llighting with fires, candles or simple lamps
• In most developing countries, it is women who
collect fuel and carry out household tasks. Women
are therefore particularly affected by indoor smoke.
• There is consistent evidence that exposure to indoor
air pollution can lead to acute lower respiratory
infections in children under five, and chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer
(where coal is used) in adults
• Acute lower respiratory infections, in particular
pneumonia, continue to be the biggest killer of
young children and cause more than 2 million
annual deaths.
• Every year, indoor air pollution is responsible for
nearly 900 000 deaths due to pneumonia among
children under five years of age.

Our products

Emphasis on Quality
• We focus on high quality as there is sufficient evidence to show that
while cheaper products may benefit the poor in terms of
affordability, the environmental impact is negative. Cheap products
usually have cheap batteries.These lead acid batteries do not last
long and need to be replaced often. Many countries do not have
facilities for recycling and thus consumer have little choice but to
throw the batteries away.These lead acid batteries pose a real
threat to soil, water and not least to the health of the people near
these areas.

Kerosene Free Freetown

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