At Deciwatt, we believe everyone should have access to clean, safe and affordable energy. When and where they need it. To understand this, we are developing renewable energy solutions that help fight energy poverty. Our first solution is the award-winning GravityLight, which creates instant light when a load is lifted. Based on our experience and user feedback on GravityLight, we have just introduced our next generation solution: nowlight. Combining extremely efficient biomechanics with advanced battery technology, nowlight delivers instant light and power no matter the weather.
Deciwatt creates wonderful renewable energy products that turn human effort into electricity.
Our new NowLight product creates instant light and energy from pulling the cord. One minute of pulling on the cord is enough, and you get up to two hours of light or energy within 15 minutes of talk time on a mobile phone.
Unlike most other energy sources, NowLight is not dependent on external factors such as sunlight, electrical grid or disposable batteries. Instead, you are the fuel that powers NowLight, creating an independent source of electricity.
NowLight comes with a USB charging cable and can also come with a solar panel, so you can use sunlight and electricity when available without relying on them.
NowLight is ideal for outdoor emergencies, emergency preparedness and illumination of off-grid areas such as sheds and outbuildings.
We also use NowLight as a vehicle to provide clean, safe and reliable energy for those without electricity.
NowLight builds on the success of our first award-winning product, GravityLight, which was designed to replace kerosene lamps as a light source in self-contained homes in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
In 2009, the charity SolarAid approached a design consulting company with a request to develop extremely cheap sunlight that costs less than $ 5.
Their goal was to create a sustainable alternative to the hazardous, polluting and expensive kerosene lamps used by hundreds of millions of people for lighting.
Light bulb moment
Designers Martin Riddiford and Jim Reeves determined that batteries and photovoltaic panels were too expensive to install a $ 5 solar lantern. They decided to look beyond solar-powered and battery-powered devices in search of another means of generating electricity.
Their search led to the realization that, thanks to significant improvements in LED technology, it would be possible to create electric light using the energy potential of gravity.
Crowdfunding success
After more than two years of experimentation, Jim and Martin created a working prototype and were ready to test the product in real conditions.
A very successful crowdfunding campaign provided the funding needed to manufacture and distribute GL01. More than 6,000 generous supporters have donated just under $ 400,000.
International tests
Thanks to our generous support, we have been able to field test GravityLight in 26 different countries. Over 90% of participants said they would use GravityLight instead of a kerosene lamp.
Test participants also provided invaluable feedback that will be used to improve the GravityLight's design ahead of the big commercial launch.
Improving design
Using test feedback, we developed the GL02, an improved GravityLight that was easier to use, more reliable, and produced brighter light.
A second crowdfunding campaign raised just over $ 400,000 from over 4,000 generous supporters to fund a production and distribution pilot in Kenya.
Deciwatt Ltd Our Mission
More than 800 million people live without electricity. Hundreds of millions more have access only to unreliable electricity supplies. Help us get light right now for those who need it.
A new approach
While the GL02 performed well during a pilot in Kenya, users indicated that they needed brighter light for longer periods of time and the ability to charge mobile phones.
Implementing these features would require a new approach that could provide more than just the power that we could use using only gravity.
Introducing NowLight
Our new product now light creates instant light and energy, leveraging human effort efficiently. By pulling the cord for just 1 minute, users can create over 2 hours of light.
The light can now be used to charge devices via USB ports and supports AC and solar charging for maximum versatility.
