Community Light Centers – Africa and Latin America

In this project, Philips plans to install nearly 100 community light centers across Africa and South America. Community light centers illuminate soccer fields with a new generation of highly efficient, solar-powered LED lighting systems, which enable life after dark for communities disadvantaged by lack of power and light. Access to lighting opens up the pathway to better quality of life – without investment in costly grid infrastructure – and utilizes the latest technology to minimize carbon footprint.

Fast facts:

8 community light centers installed by May 2014, saving 12,379 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year;
90 community light centers planned for installation across Africa and South America;
20,000 lives improved in Africa;
Expansion of project to improve 50,000 lives in Latin America.

The problem

Many people in Africa and Latin America live without electricity, or are underserved by connections to the electrical grid. Lighting in developing countries is largely based on older, less-efficient technologies, and consumes about a fifth of all electricity globally. Climate change represents a serious threat, especially to people in developing countries, which tend to be more vulnerable to its impacts. Although developing countries need better access to electricity, this needs to be oriented toward a low-carbon future.

The solution

In partnership with the Royal Dutch Football Association, Philips intends to light soccer fields across South America. The LED lights offer high-quality bright, white light. Not only for sports, these spaces can also be utilized for healthcare, education, social, and commercial purposes. Batteries for the solar-powered lighting are buried underground, with intelligent controls maximizing their efficiency. The light centers run off solar power and do not require connection to an electrical grid, which reduces stress on existing, inadequate grids, and bypasses development of new grid connections.

Helping the planet

The overall carbon footprint of the light centers is extremely low, given the long life of the solar panels and LED lights. Using renewable energy prevents pollution associated with the production of electricity, including emission of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

Helping people

The light centers allow businesses to extend their trading hours, increasing profitability. Communities are able to host local events, and children may play soccer after the sun has gone down. Partnerships will allow these children to develop life skills alongside playing soccer, and for the training of soccer coaches. In schools, evening classes can take place and in hospitals, solar-powered lighting facilitates delivery of healthcare.

Scaling up

This project is scalable due to proposed integration with local and regional entities. Network partnerships enable the project to be successfully implemented according to the local needs and culture. The present expansion indicates the project’s latent growth potential.