Total Kenya has diversified its reach in the energy sector by introducing a range of solar lanterns.

These eco-friendly lamps are designed to appeal to those living in rural areas with limited electricity supply. They are also to be useful as standby lights where there is a power failure.

“We are testing the lamps and plan to replicate the success of this initiative in our other markets,” said Ms Manoelle Lapoutre, a senior vice- president in charge of Sustainable Development and Environment, Total Group.

She spoke on Tuesday during a media breakfast meeting at a Nairobi hotel that Alexis Vovk, managing director, Total Kenya, and the firm’s chairman, Jean Papee also attended.

The smaller of the two lantern models can provide up to eight hours of light on a full battery. It can light homes or workplace and is suitable for studying, working or cooking.

The larger lantern is a dual-purpose solar light and mobile charger. It provides up to 10 times more light than a kerosene lantern and can charge most mobile phones when AC power is unavailable.

The bigger S250 has four different brightness settings, providing up to 12 hours of bright light and up to 100 hours on the bed light setting.

This lantern includes an efficient, portable solar panel with a three-metre outdoor cable for convenient solar charging.

The S250 is cable of charging a mobile phone up to 80 per cent of its full battery capacity in as little as an hour.

Crowded market

Total Kenya is planning to introduce an even larger and more advanced unit, which requires a larger solar panel, flexibility to users and several cables for installation.

The oil dealer’s entry into the solar energy comes at the time the market is still watching recent developments in the LPG segment.

Although consumers can now purchase Ikg cooking gas cylinders, Total has given this market segment a wide berth.

“We will not be introducing smaller LPG cylinders and will rather confine to the 13kg and 6kg packages until our safety concerns are addressed,” said Vovk.

By Jackson Okoth, The Standard

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