Pico solar power for Africa

End Devices (Nodes)
1

So I was wondering if this exists?

  1. A LoRa gateway with a mobile internet connection that checks mobile payment API status on https://lipisha.com/payments/accounts/index.php/app/launch/features (or similar)

  2. A ‘smart solarbox’ device consisting of 20w panel, connected to 20 amp battery, with a LoRa controlled relay to the 12v/ 5v power outputs. Accelerometer and tamper sensors.

If a mobile payment has been received that week it sends a message to the LoRa device to keep the relay open, if no mobile payment is received that week it closes the relay.

You then offer the ‘smart solarboxes’ to people in rural Africa. Payback period is over 5 years, they are then charged for a further year (this funds the next round of projects) Then the device is left permanently open for use.

It doesn’t seem that hard to hack togther?

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2

So it looks like this has been done with GSM http://solar.m-kopa.com/about/our-technology/

No sign of a LoRa version yet.

A Open Source stack could be quite disruptive here (And still allow investment/ return in the actual hardware side of the business)

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3

This fund

https://unicefinnovationfund.org/

Might be a good way of developing a Foss micropayment system, this would sit on a Pi connected to the LoRaWAN gateway & Inject ‘device XYZ paid this week’ messages into the network.

The development would need to be led by a company in one of these countries

With the software available it would be an open platform for small enterprises to develop their own businesses buying and leasing solar kit.

4

Ah so this has been done at a minigrid scale http://steama.co/faq/

I still think a Foss version at a per-household scale would be interesting.

5

tech overkill imho … a lorawan paymentsystem for a bit of cheap solar energy ?

overkill1
overkill2

don’t rent them out… just give them away

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6

:slight_smile: Am using similar controllers - with 25/50W panels & decent lead acid batteries to run some of my LoRaWAN Gateways! :wink: If additional backhaul options needed e.g. if no local ethernet/dsl connection or available Wifi and truly off grid I then plug a 3/4G WiFi Modem into the USB port of controller, connect over the provisioned WiFi, and Bob’s your mothers brother…provided there is cell coverage of course…

7

Right, but are you actually giving them away? I’m not.

I would however chuck a couple of hundred quid into a model that would be self-financing.

More: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/africaatlse/2018/01/29/when-mobile-meets-modular-pay-as-you-go-solar-energy-in-rural-africa/

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8

Peanuts if you see what Europe alone ‘gave away’ the last 50 years to Africa… :wink:

High tech needs technicians to setup and maintain a LoRaWAN payment / switch system, way more expensive then just buy 5 or 10k mini solar systems and say… hey, you can pay them in 5 years back :sunglasses:

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10

I appriciate the sentiment.

When do your first 5k systems ship? I’ll follow your project with interest.