Fighting Energy Poverty and Illuminating Futures; SMA & Solar Buddy at RE+2023

SMA America is proud to feature a non-profit partner, SolarBuddy in the booth at RE+ 2023 as we strive to illuminate not just physical spaces, but also hearts and minds, with the awareness of a critical global issue: extreme energy poverty.

Extreme energy poverty is a plight that casts shadows over countless lives, unfolding when there is little or no access to the simplest of electric luxuries—light. Light is that luxury most of us take for granted, but for millions of people darkness is a daily, devastatingly limiting, reality. Developing nations are at most risk for energy poverty and directly in turn the adverse effects on children’s education, health and financial prospects.

In efforts to alleviate the burden of energy poverty, SolarBuddy a registered US 501(c)(3) charity, is committed to delivering social impact through solar generation. Through donations, SolarBuddy has impacted over 982,055 lives and has reduced CO2 emissions by 251,406 tons since 2016. With SMA America’s mission to foster innovative solutions for a cleaner, affordable and sustainable future, the organization is thrilled to partner with SolarBuddy at RE+ 2023. Through the partnership with SolarBuddy SMA has the goal of raising enough money to fundraise for 2023 solar lights, which will be gifted to children living in extreme energy poverty in sub-Sahara Africa.

According to the World Bank, globally around 3.5+ billion people live without access to modern energy services. People who struggle with energy poverty are forced to use animal manure, firewood, charcoal, and toxic kerosene to sustain electricity. The costs of burning these fuels are devastating to the health of people in these communities, their economies, and the environment. Approximately 4 million people die each year from respiratory disease caused by toxic fumes. This is more annual deaths than from AIDS/HIV and malaria combined. Women and children, in particular, bear the brunt of the burden. Of the people who die each year from indoor pollution, 32 percent are children under five years old. Exposure to pollutants from harmful energy sources also puts women and children at greater risk of developing allergies, asthma, and cancer and can cause developmental and learning issues.

Additionally, these toxic alternative methods to creating and sustaining energy are environmentally damaging due to the emissions from burning, deforestation, forest degradation and associated biodiversity loss. Energy poverty contributes substantially to greenhouse gas emissions.

“In fact, energy poverty causes 3.5 times more toxic emissions than the entire global aviation industry,” says Joanna Cantwell, Chief Development Officer for SolarBuddy.

Solving energy poverty is directly linked to lowering greenhouse gas emissions, fighting global warming, and drastically improving the lives of countless individuals.

“This is a global environmental and humanitarian crisis, but it’s largely invisible”, adds Cantwell. “So I simply ask that you pose this question to yourself…where would you be today if you did not have access to electricity? Lives are transformed with the gift of light”.

Help gift 2023 solar lights to children today!

For more information about SolarBuddy check out this video.