Consumer behavior around household energy use in Africa is driven by the need to get a job done at the least possible cost. Many innovative solutions for cooking and lighting that are piloted on the continent fail to gain traction due to their inability to beat the incumbent solutions already widely adopted such as firewood and kerosene.
By taking a user-centered approach to the design of innovation in energy on the continent, it is possible to create products or entirely new classes of products that empower communities economically while saving the planet. The Semacraft team is actively involved in design research in solar energy to improve rural lighting in off-the-grid locations. Our research and experience will help firms investing in green energy to spend with greater certainty where returns are more likely to be realized.