This document is written to help inform assessments of water protection for compliance with the Quality Standards. Water Protection of modern off-grid lighting products is a key determinant of long-term durability and consumer satisfaction. There are two strategies for protecting products from water: product design and user behavior. The Lighting Global framework for assessing the … Read More
This document describes the framework and intentions of the Lighting Global Quality Assurance (QA) program. It also explains how Lighting Global currently interacts with the regional programs (i.e. Lighting Africa and Lighting Asia) and how the Global and regional programs interact with manufacturers, distributors, customers, and other stakeholders. It concludes by identifying challenges that the … Read More
The Lighting Global Quality Standards include safety requirements for AC chargers that are included with off-grid solar products. The language in the Lighting Global Quality Standards is as follows: “Any included AC-DC charger carries approval from a recognized consumer electronics safety certification organization.” “Approved marks: UL, CE TÜV Rheinland, CCC, or similar, with accompanying valid … Read More
Lighting Global has developed a new, faster framework for product quality verification. This Accelerated Verification Method (AVM) is an optional alternative quality verification pathway that is faster than the standard Quality Test Method (QTM) Testing pathway. Verification of products through the AVM includes three elements: 1) Eligibility based on the manufacturer’s strong history of success … Read More
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) operates a portfolio of programs to support the development of off grid lighting markets, including Lighting Africa (jointly implemented with the World Bank) and Lighting Asia. In undertaking these market development programs, IFC conducts quality assurance activities that include designating products as Lighting Global quality assured, thus qualifying these products … Read More
Pay-as-you-go (PAYG) enabled solar home systems and pico-solar products are rapidly expanding in market share, using new approaches to connectivity and emerging mobile money systems to provide low-cost financing for off-grid energy. The general principle is that end-users make ongoing payments for the system instead of paying cash up front, with confirmation of the payments … Read More
The market for off-grid solar powered lights has expanded rapidly in recent years. Cumulative global sales over the past five years exceed 8 million units, and sales have grown at annual rates exceeding 100%. This has been driven by improvements in technology, reductions in manufacturing costs and the great demand for access to modern lighting. … Read More
Recently, Lighting Global has observed an increasing trend in manufacturers selling “product families”—a set of interchangeable components sold on a component-level basis or as “mix-and-match” kits. A benefit of selling products at the component-level is that users are able to tailor a complete system to their budget and lighting needs. In principle it is also … Read More
This Information Sheet describes how partner organizations, Associate companies and contractors can present and refer to the World Bank Group’s lighting programs in their marketing communications tools and materials including websites, brochures, flyers, reports, posters, banners, etc. IFC and the World Bank support the Lighting Global, Lighting Africa, Lighting Asia, and Lighting Pacific programs which … Read More