Introducing Connecting the Watts

A Three-Part Miniseries Unpacking the Micro-Revolution of Energy in East Africa.

For half the planet, access to energy remains elusive, unreliable, and expensive.

In east Africa, where traditional structures fail or are slow to form, a decentralized network of energy has taken its place; a micro-revolution of practical solutions that start with the individual, just a few watts at a time.

Connecting The Watts is a mini-documentary series (our first ever) that explores three personal-scale innovations in energy in east Africa and their surprisingly interconnected impact on economy, communication, climate, and more.

Scroll down to watch each of the films below or skip to an episode of your choice: Episode 1: Grid in the Sky I Episode 2: Forest for the Trees I Episode 3: Mobile Money

Grid in the Sky

A traditional electrical grid will take up to 40 years to complete in east Africa – that’s simply too long. With the rise of affordable personal-scale solar micro-grids, families are bypassing these outdated systems and dramatically improving daily life.

Learn how the expediting of solar was catalyzed by cellphone ownership and meet a farmer who’s building her own grid to stay safe and run her business. 

Forest for the Trees

Kenya is losing its forests; one of the fastest ways to curb that is to address open-fire wood cooking.

While the world at large confronts global climate change, follow a team of traditional weather forecasters and Kenyan meteorologists as they work to educate and empower local farmers despite increasingly erratic weather patterns.

Mobile Money

What started as trading talk time has evolved into a thriving digital economy where cashless transactions enable the most rural households to participate in a broader market of exchange. However, as mobile phone ownership outpaces rates of electrification, east Africa faces an energy paradox, demanding solutions that can keep up.

See first hand how mobile money helps this restaurant owner run every aspect of his work, from the customer bills to financing his kitchen.

Want to learn more about BioLite's mission?

Visit our Mission page to learn about BioLite’s role in the future of energy and how we built a business model that challenges what a social enterprise looks like.

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