A green battery that uses Iron foil, coffee filters, and carbon Felt to generate enough power to charge a phone and a light bulb for 5 hours is being introduced to the Tanzanian market.

The battery was developed by hiLyte to substitute the use of kerosene for lighting in rural areas.

Tanzania’s countryside remains out of reach of electric networks in many locations and many residents have looked for other ways to answer their power needs.

The battery is a much better solution to kerosene, being both cleaner and cheaper. The new battery costs approximately 10 cents per day to maintain compared to the price kerosene which is roughly double.

The battery will have to compete, however, with small solar panels that are gaining popularity throughout the country. These small panels sell for around USD 40 while the new battery costs only USD 12 — but generally costs less to maintain overall and can provide a higher output. When weather conditions are not favorable, however, this new battery may prove superior.

It is always good to see new cleaner technologies providing advantages over older solutions in both environmental impact and cost to the user. Competition between these new alternatives can only lead to benefits to the environment and the rural populations that rely on them.

We look forward to seeing the hiLyte battery come to market.