Startup Brings Clean Electricity, Water...and Health...to Those Without It

Electricity and clean water are behind so much of the improvements in health and life expectancy that we have seen over the past 100-200 years. However, some people in the world still do not have access to either, due to poverty and remoteness. This has led to the rise of decentralised solutions, which are turning out to be far more cost-effective, environmentally friendly and health-promoting.

One of the latest products on the market is the OffGridBox container. It can provide 16 kilowatt hours of clean energy and 24,000 litres of filtered, sterile water every day, which can provide for up to about 300 families (or 1500 people). All in a six-foot cube, it's designed for remote use, off-grid living, disaster relief and backup power. As it is modular, more units can be added, and different add-ons are available such as Wi-Fi, desalination and drip irrigation. So far, 28 units have been sold and installed, and there is an upcoming pilot project in Rwanda that will see 18 more put to use. Hopefully, this will improve the lives of millions of people around the world, who cannot or do not want to deal with large corporations and the grid.

Why is this so important? The use of fuel instead of electricity is actually responsible for the deaths of millions of people every year. Pneumonia, stroke, lung cancer, COPD and ischaemic heart disease can all be caused by indoor air pollution. There is also evidence that it can increase the risk of tuberculosis, low birth weight and other cancers. Burns and other injuries can be caused by open fires and kerosene lamps. To make things worse, the greater amount of time spent on gathering fuel and unpaid caring work negatively affects gender equality and wealth, keeping people trapped in the cycle. Outdoor air pollution, although usually less dangerous, also kills millions every year by causing similar diseases. As for access to clean water, lack thereof (as well as poor sanitation) takes many lives too, by diseases such as dysentery, typhoid and even polio.

Fortunately, things are changing, and the energy situation in Africa may even turn out better than in the West (at least until we catch up). Progress towards renewables is happening, with thousands of people every day skipping fossil fuels and heading straight for solar and other clean sources of energy. This is likely to help with continuing rapid increases in life expectancy and quality of life. Overall, there are so many positive developments in the world, which we just don't know about because they do not fit the interests of the corporate media.