AWARD YEAR
2023
CATEGORY
Home
GOALS
Affordable & Clean Energy, Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure, Sustainable Cities & Communities
KEYWORDS
Lighting, generator, kinetic energy
COUNTRY
United Kingdom
DESIGNED BY
Deciwatt
WEBSITE
https://deciwatt.global/
NowLight
NowLight creates instant light and power by efficiently harnessing human effort
How does it work?
NowLight turns someone's effort into electricity. A minute of pulling will generate up to 2 hours of light or enough power for a 15-minute phone call. The product also features six brightness settings, and the maximum lumens setting of 160 can provide 4,5 hours of light. The solar panel can fully charge a NowLight in around three hours in direct solid sunlight and will fully charge a typical smartphone in about 2 hours.
Why is it needed?
In 2009, Therefore design consultancy was approached by the charity SolarAid, with a brief to develop a highly low-cost solar light.
Their goal was to create a sustainable alternative to dangerous, polluting and expensive kerosene lamps, which hundreds of millions of people rely on for lighting. The main advantage of NowLight is the low effort to generate light when needed, providing clean and safe power for people without electricity.
How does it improve life?
Deciwatt partnered with humanitarian to provide a reliable source of lighting and power for mobile devices, making a real difference. That could mean charging a phone during a medical emergency, providing safe light to cook under for a family, or lighting a hospital without power. This opportunity shows that this product focuses on those with scarce accessibility to energy by providing a sustainable option to hazardous, polluting and costly lighting options.