The first eKiss off-grid systems to enter the African market have now been commissioned in Cameroon and have also attracted the interest of development aid organisations. Antaris Solar has been experiencing increasing demand for its eKiss and Mini eKiss systems since demonstrating the two products at the Intersolar Europe in June. eKiss provides a stand-alone off-grid solution which is capable of flexible configuration, whereas Mini eKiss has been dubbed its little brother due to the portability it offers.
These mobile solutions have attracted attention in Europe, where eKiss (= energy Keep it simple & safe) is able to provide outputs of between 350 and 2,000 watts for the agricultural sector or for energy supply to summer houses and holiday homes, as well as exciting major interest in stand-alone electricity solutions on the African continent. We are currently endeavouring to expand our international network of distribution partners in order to be able to meet demand, explains Antaris Solars Country Manager for Africa Barton Shasha.
Cameroon pioneers the use of eKiss products
The eKiss system provides secure energy supply to regions where no reliable public electricity grid is in place. This means that eKiss is able to make a significant contribution towards electrification in under-developed areas, says Barton Shasha.
The first eKiss systems to be deployed on the African market have now been commissioned in Cameroon by Antaris Solars sales partners SAF Solaire Africa and Village 21. Both our partners and customers very much appreciate the robustness, output performance and high degree of user-friendliness which eKiss is able to deliver, Shasha adds.
eKiss also of interest to non-profit making organisations
eKiss can be used either to replace or to supplement conventional diesel generators. This enables it to back up vital energy-dependent areas such as telecommunications, education and health systems and domestic power requirements. The eKiss systems also very much lend themselves to use by organisations operating in the field of development aid due to the fact that they can be individually aligned to local conditions and put into service without any need for detailed technical knowledge.
Mini eKiss offers an opportunity to small-scale African entrepreneurs
As well as providing an attractive option for domestic use, the portable Mini eKiss box is also able to serve as a basis for business activity. The Mini eKiss is, for example, capable of charging up to ten mobile telephones simultaneously. Africa has regions where mobile communications networks are up and running despite the absence of an electricity grid, points out Country Manager Barton Shasha. Using Mini eKiss as a mobile public charging station is an effective business model in such areas and also fosters telecommunications expansion.
