Solutions in Action – an Update from Mark Bent of SunNight Solar
Many of you have been impacted by the story of SunNight Solar, and their BoGo light (Buy One, Give One). Founded by former US Diplomat Mark Bent, SunNight Solar uses the latest scientific advances in solar and lighting technology to provide light to people in developing countries. When you purchase a light from them, they match your purchase and send a light to the location of your choice. SunNight Solar posted a Challenge to the InnoCentive Marketplace to improve their existing light, so that it could illuminate an entire room as well as work as a handheld flashlight. The Challenge was solved and the company has already begun production of these improved lights, less than a year after posting the Challenge. I recently asked Mark for an update on this exciting project – his thoughts are below:
My name is Mark Bent, and I posted the Challenge to improve the design of my original solar flashlight on Innocentive. This need for improvement came as a direct result of feedback from World Bank and Department of Energy field research on my lights in Africa. People liked the original device, but it did not replace a kerosene lantern, because it did not light up a room. After trying, and failing, to develop a light which had this feature, I turned to Innocentive, with support from the Rockefeller Foundation.
Within the next ten days – by the end of October 2008, we will have a second factory come on line to produce our lights – the original factory cannot keep up with the demand. Via Innocentive, our electronics and other components are pretty amazing and the lights have been very, very welcomed by the consumer and are in use worldwide.
We are starting up a new program to get these lights to our military serving in Iraq and Afghanistan – the SL-2 – SunLight 2, or SuperBoGo, was so well received by the Marines and soldiers, we wanted to do another program to get them more lights – please see http://www.warlights.com/. These will be camouflage lights – not a good idea to carry bright orange lights in a war zone and the combat soldiers probably would not appreciate the pink lights much either.
We continue to improve this model and will be coming out with variations in the very near future, both in appearance and in function – lights which cure jaundice in infants via blue LEDs will be the next light and we have many more versions planned.
Thanks InnoCentive and thanks to all of the customers who support our BoGo Lights and other social programs.
Best regards,
Mark
CEO – SunNight Solar
Mark Bent
http://www.sunnightsolar.com/blog/
Tags: BoGo, InnoCentive, Innovation, Mark Bent, solar power, SunNight Solar
November 7th, 2008 at 4:55 am
Unfortunately the BoGo lights can not be bought from outside USA. That is a pity since there is a lot of people who are willing to help but just can not do so. I think one of the challenges of innocentive could be to find distributors of associations who will be willing to help this good cause.
All the best
Adolfo
November 7th, 2008 at 11:17 am
I have submitted ideas of Solar Based Pest Electrocutor and Modified Solar Powered Hybrid Car in the website ( ideasxchange.com ) My Profile ID : rajib69
November 7th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Dear Adolfo,
I wanted to respond to your comment about sales outside the US and assure you that we are working on this matter as quickly as possible and in fact, have signed distribution agreements with a number of representatives worldwide – in Africa, South and Central America and elsewhere. AND – we are looking for more distributors and welcome inquires; interested parties, please contact us through our website – http://www.sunnightsolar.com
The reason why we have not moved faster in this area is because of lack of production capabilities, which is why I am now sitting in my apartment overlooking the Free Trade Zone in Ningbo, China watching the rain come down. We are finishing up the first production of 4000 SL-2’s this week, however, I just finished a Skype call with my COO – all of these are sold already, so we will increase production even more – with a second mold becoming available shortly, we can produce 2200 lights per day, and will make more molds shortly. With the benefits – cost and environmental – in the developed world and health, safety, cost, environmental and improving overall quality of life in the developing world, demand is very high.
I again want to thank Innocentive and Rockefeller for their support as well to all of our customers – 2009 is going to be a very strong year for us, with production now stabilized, so I look forward to getting lights to everyone we can, either via direct sales or through one of our social programs.
Best regards,
Mark
November 28th, 2008 at 10:03 am
I am very much interested in these lamps . I reside in the city of IBADAN,OYO STATE, NIGERIA. Power supply here is very unreliable. Illumination/Lighting in the evening/night is a major problem.Please, how can I order for the Lamps.
December 4th, 2008 at 11:09 am
do you have representatives in Europe, notably the UK?
March 18th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Haha ^^ nice, is there a section to follow the RSS feed
September 15th, 2009 at 5:50 am
The reason why we have not moved faster in this area is because of lack of production capabilities, which is why I am now sitting in my apartment overlooking the Free Trade Zone in Ningbo, China watching the rain come down.
February 4th, 2010 at 3:02 am
I was just talking with my friend about this the other day at dinner . Don’t remember how in the world we landed on the subject actually , they brought it up. I do recall having a wonderful fruit salad with cranberries on it. I digress…