Living on less than $1.25 a day, families in the developing world pay up to 25 cents daily for kerosene to light their homes in the evening. Not only does this dim light come at a huge financial cost, but kerosene can cause serious respiratory problems and is a persistent fire risk. 

For many consumers, solar lanterns are the obvious answer. But, most of the products available to them are simply out of reach because they are too expensive.

In 2014, d.light and IDEO.org joined forces to develop the A1, a high quality solar light that is flexible, durable, and most importantly, affordable. 

The challenge? Create a solar light that was easy to use, emitted the right amount of brightness, and do it all under a five-dollar tipping point. Solar is a safe, efficient way to light homes and businesses, and it saves families money in the long-term without subjecting them to the health hazards of kerosene. To compete with the slow-burn cost of kerosene, and gain access to a new group of consumers, d.light’s new design couldn’t retail for more than $5 USD. 

Designing a quality lantern at such a low cost was a huge challenge. The team met with families in Kenya and India to understand what they needed in a new light. Beyond kerosene, a common alternative most families could afford were cheap flashlights, usually with a battery that died within a month and couldn’t light a whole room. The team collected tons of feedback from the people they were designing for to develop the right look, feel, ease of use, brightness, and durability for the new light. 

After months of research, prototyping and iteration, the team landed on a design that would become the A1. “It’s like a chicken. You pay for it once and you get an egg every day”, said one consumer in India, using the new model. Launched in July 2015, d.light’s A1 is now the most affordable solar light of it’s kind, making solar energy accessible to all families. 

The A1 features an adjustable handle and stand for complete portability, and a clean contemporary design with integrated solar panel. It’s also revolutionizing the power source. Many solar lights at the A1’s price point still feature NiCad batteries. And though they’re inexpensive, they’re heavy and contain poisonous substances like cadmium or mercury. The lithium ion battery powering the A1 is lighter, lasts longer, charges faster and, most importantly, is non-toxic. 

The A1 provides top-quality solar lighting at a revolutionary price point. Its powerful light fills an entire room for four hours on a single charge, and is twice as bright as a kerosene lamp. And, with it’s ultra simple, drop-proof, and water-resistant design, the A1 is ideally suited for both indoor and outdoors use. Thanks to the A1, tens of millions of families will gain extra hours of light to work, study, and play, while simultaneously reducing the harmful health effects due to gas lamp exposure. What’s more, families will save as much as 20% of their income by switching from kerosene to the A1, freeing them to spend their money where it counts most.