February 13, 2014

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Portable solar chargers bringing light to Syrian refugees

For many of the 7 million Syrians who have fled their homes amid civil war, having access to clean and reliable electricity in refugee camps is not guaranteed.

By David Wogan

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This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American

For many of the 7 million Syrians who have fled their homes amid civil war, having access to clean and reliable electricity in refugee camps is not guaranteed. Lack of electricity is both a safety issue and makes communication nearly impossible. In an effort to provide this basic level of security, the organization WakaWaka has partnered with the International Rescue Committee to provide portable solar-powered light and chargers to Syrian refugees.

Last summer I had the opportunity to play with a WakaWaka light. It's a lightweight, durable yellow brick with solar PV cells on one face. You leave it in the sun for about 8 hours and it has enough juice to charge a mobile phone or provide over 100 hours of light through LEDs. It has a convenient cutout that lets it sit on soda bottles to provide light for a room, or allowing it to be hung from a ceiling.

The WakaWakas are distributed on a buy-one-get-one (BOGO) model, meaning that if you or I buy one, someone around the world in need will receive one. The BOGO model differs from other practices of distributing solar like pay-as-you-go, which is being used throughout Africa. Through the Solar For Syria campaign, over 26,000 of the light/chargers were distributed last year to refugees, and the group plans to distribute more this year.

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Perviously, WakaWaka and International Rescue Committee partnered up to provide solar units to survivors of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

David Wogan is an engineer and policy researcher who writes about energy, technology, and policy.

David's academic and professional background includes a unique blend of technology and policy in the field of energy systems. Most recently, David worked at Austin Energy, a Texas municipal utility, implementing a Department of Energy stimulus grant related to energy efficiency. Previously, David was a member of the Energy & Climate Change team at the White House Council on Environmental Quality for the Obama Administration.

David holds two Master's degrees from The University of Texas at Austin in Mechanical Engineering and Public Affairs. While at UT, David was a researcher in the Webber Energy Group, where his research focused on advanced biofuel production to offset petroleum use in the transportation sector. David holds a Bachelor's of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin, where he researched nuclear non-proliferation measurement technology.

David is a 2013 Aspen Institute Journalism Scholar, joining a select group of journalists from Slate, ABC News, and The New York Times.

David lives in Austin, Texas. Follow along on Twitter or email him at david.wogan@me.com.

More by David Wogan

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