Solar Lamps To Kill Kerosene Lamps

By John Vlahakis

Solar lamps have begun to replace kerosene lamps in Africa. The move to low cost solar lamps has helped the poor in Africa to increase their income levels, and have improved their health and safety. The need to purchase kerosene becomes non-existent with the purchase of a solar lamp. The toxic fumes from kerosene kills 1.5 million women and children a year according to United Nations officials. There have been cases of people being accidentally burned by the lamps while in use. The cost of kerosene in impoverished African slums can cost as much as 25% of a monthly salary, while replacing a broken kerosene lamp glass can cost 10% of ones income. The move to solar lamps runs up to 50% of an average workers income, but aid groups have been supplementing the cost to lower its impact on families. The lamps are of a high build quality providing lasting service to the family. A typical solar lamp can provide a higher output of light versus a kerosene lamp, but it will only last for around four hours before it needs to be recharged. Recharging can take up to eight hours per lamp. One of the cheapest solar lamps made in the U.S. comes from a company called D Light. D Light states that on a full charge its lamp will provide 8 hours of light on a low setting, which is good for walking outside or socializing, or 4 hours of light on the high setting, which is intended for working, studying and other activities that need bright light. The company also states that the lantern is at least four times brighter than a kerosene lantern, so users aren’t giving up lighting quality for off-grid charging capabilities. D Light hopes that their product will become the kerosene lamp killer. I sincerely hope they are right about this. The need to help impoverished nations move away from fossil fuels and embrace off grid technologies that can save lives and the planet is priceless. Now all we need is someone to get all of our camping stores to drop kerosene lamps from their shelves and start pushing solar lamps instead.