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Start-up company Sustainable Alternative Lighting (or SALt) has developed a cost-effective and sustainable lamp that runs on tap water and table salt.
SALt aims to provide a safe, cheap and sustainable alternative light source to the residents of the Philippines, where kerosene lamps and candles are typically used. More than 7,000 islands in the Philippines lack access to electricity, with inhabitants often walking up to 30km to purchase fuel.
Just one glass of water and two tablespoons of salt will power the lamp for eight hours, said the firm. The salinity of seawater can also operate the lamp.
SALt co-founder Aisa Mijeno said: “It uses the century-old science of galvanic redox reaction improving on electrode composition to lengthen the life of the anode and produce enough power to light up LEDs and charge low-power mobile devices.”
With proper maintenance, the lifespan of the lamp is up to six months. To protect the anode from excessive salt corrosion users must drain the electrolytes and wash it with fresh water and dry the electrodes when not in use.
SALt is at the beginning of mass production, and is still settling on a final unit cost, although Mijeno said the firm “would try to hit a retail price most people will be able to afford”.
The firm also plans to target the household emergency market, for areas often hit by extreme weather conditions.
Mijeno said: “We are currently in partnership with a local electronic manufacturing services firm to help us produce the lamp. We plan to launch the lamp commercially in the first quarter of next year but we will focus on island communities first as this is the main mission and advocacy of our start-up.”
SALt will partner with non-governmental organisations to help purchase and distribute the lamps to areas in need. The company has also picked communities not supported by charitable organisations and plans to operate a system where it will offer a “one-for-one for retail market” so for every lamp that is purchased it will give one lamp to a family in need.
The team aims to make the design more ergonomic and user-friendly so that users who may not be able to read or write can still understand how to operate the lamp. It will also look at creating a more sturdy and durable version for outdoor use.