As the name would suggest, the Night Light Solar Candle is a solar powered, eco-friendly light source alternative, designed and developed in South Africa to assist impoverished households and poorer communities who often rely heavily upon paraffin lamps at night.

This new product has even caught the attention of the World Bank-backed non-profit organisation (NPO) Lighting Africa, which seeks to provide “modern off-grid lighting products in Sub-Saharan Africa”, according to its manifesto. Lighting Africa has shortlisted the Solar Candle for distribution throughout Africa, highlighting its durability and unique performance.

During its lifespan (4 years), the Solar Candle emits no CO₂ whatsoever, this means that for every 1000 candles replaced by a Solar Candle, there is reduction of 25 tonnes of CO₂. Charging the Solar Candle is reasonably easy, thanks to a durable solar panel, located on the base of the unit, and is simply turned upside down and turned upside down to re-charge. Furthermore the Solar Candle can retain up to 90% of its charge, even if it's stored away for six months. In order to reach full charge, the Solar Candle needs roughly six hours worth of direct sunlight and produces seven hours worth of light for nighttime use.  

To put the cost-saving measures in perspective, the amount of light emitted from a single use of the Solar Candle is equivalent to five standard candles, which adds up to an estimated 1825 candles over one year. This leads to annual cost of R3 500 a year, based on the price of R2 per candle, and R15 000 over four years (the average lifespan of the Solar Candle). A tremendous saving, considering the Solar Candle only costs R285 per unit.

The Johannesburg-based Solar Candle inventor, Ken Hall, said he was spurred to develop the product after learning about the many devastating fires in townships which are caused as a result of candles or paraffin lamps setting fire to homes. Hall was featured in Time magazine in 2001 for his internationally acclaimed table top Cobb oven.

Since then Ken Hall has designed several other products, including the Protostar stove which runs on safer methanol-based fuel and competes against paraffin stoves in informal settlements.

For more information on the Night Light Solar Candle, check out its contact page here.