Our Impact

Empowering
communities for
a brighter future

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More than 2 billion people around the world live without reliable access to electricity.
Our solar solutions are making clean energy products universally available and affordable.
168 million
lives empowered
36 million
tons of CO₂ avoided
502 GWh
generated from a renewable energy source
$4.9 billion
saved in energy-related expenses
70 million
school-aged children reached with solar lighting
26 billion
productive hours created
d.light working with customers to address the economic impact from COVID-19

Customer Stories

99% of d.light customers rate their product as a good value for money and would recommend d.light to a friend
Our Approach to
Social Impact
Measurement
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To achieve our ambitious social impact goals, d.light employs a rigorous data-driven approach to measure impact across our key impact metrics. We use sales data, customer feedback, and ongoing product evaluation in the field to provide a comprehensive picture of how access to energy transforms the lives of our customers.
For solar products, our impact numbers are calculated using GOGLA standardized impact metrics. For non-solar products or impact metrics not defined by GOGLA, we adapt the methodology. Our impact metrics include:

Lives Transformed: All products we sell are designed to create a transformation in the lives of our customers. We assume that even if a product is primarily used by one person in a household, the entire household benefits in some way. We apply household size and discount factors outlined by the GOGLA methodology but count multiple transformations for one household. For example, if a family purchases a solar lantern and later purchases a clean cook stove and a pay-go solar home system, we count their lives being transformed three separate times.
CO₂ Offset: We calculate this based on the GOGLA methodology for solar products and use third party carbon credit methodologies for products outside of this category (such as for clean cook stoves).
GWH generated from renewable energy source: This metric applies to solar products and is calculated using the GOGLA methodology.
$s saved from Energy Related Expenses: This metric applies to solar products and is calculated using the GOGLA methodology.
School-aged children reached with solar lighting: We calculate this based on the average number of school-aged children in households. This metric only applies to solar products we sell with a lighting component.
Productive Hours created: This metric applies to solar products and is calculated using the GOGLA methodology.

At d.light, we are committed to improving the lives of our customers and to making a positive impact in the communities we serve. By measuring our impact through these metrics, we ensure that we are on track to achieve our social impact goals and that we continue to make a difference in the lives of our customers.

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Industry Recognition

d.light has helped pioneer initiatives to standardize impact measurement and is Global Impact Investment Rating System (GIIRS) Certified.

Impact Publications

2018
d.light is dedicated to advancing evidence and thought leadership on market-driven social impact. Here you will find impact research, thought pieces, and social impact best practices on the impact of solar energy access.
  • Quality Matters

    Lighting Global Quality Assurance (QA)
    Download PDF
  • Powering Opportunity (Exec Summary)

    The Economic Impact of Off-Grid Solar
    Download PDF
  • Powering Opportunity

    The Economic Impact of Off-Grid Solar
    Download PDF
  • Pioneering Power

    Transforming lives through off-grid renewable electricity in Africa and Asia
    Download PDF
  • Kakuma as a Marketplace

    The evolving global refugee crisis calls for innovative approaches
    Download PDF
  • GSMA – d.light and RE-VOLT:

    Pay-as-you-go solar service driving mobile money adoption in Haiti
    Download PDF

Thought Pieces

  • d.light features heavily in new TED talk

    Hear Amar Inamdar speak about the future of solar energy
    Watch Now
  • Acumen Blog

    The Kerosene Problem: An Open Letter for Better Research (2013)
    Read More