Accelerating Access to Energy thru Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Mission
We believe that electricity can alleviate suffering and hardship, and that all human beings deserve to have the choice to access this valuable form of energy.
The mission of Energy Access Foundation, Inc. (EAF) is to accelerate access to sustainable energy in developing countries, alleviating energy poverty without destroying the environment, and giving people the opportunity to develop their human potential.
Need & Opportunity
When Thomas A. Edison was born in 1847, the world population was an estimated 1.2 billion people. His electric light bulb invention reached a practical level on October 21, 1879, which initially drove the many inventions that created the modern electric utility.
However, the population without access to electricity or with unreliable electricity is now greater than when Edison was born. These tend to be among the poorest inhabitants of our planet living in developing countries.
Now we are fortunate that there is great opportunity related to seizing the power of the sun. In 1954, researchers at Bell Laboratories demonstrated the first practical silicon solar cell. By the 1980’s, wireless solar photovoltaic (PV) systems began to leapfrog the extension of electrical utility grids in remote areas of developing countries, converting to electricity the sunlight that naturally reaches all of us.
In the past decade technological advances and the economies of scale have reduced the cost of solar PV panels faster than most people expected. LED lamps have become much more efficient and cost effective. High-performance Lithium batteries of all sizes are now available at reasonable costs. These advances combined with the technological advances of Off-Grid Solar systems and Grid-Tied PV systems make it possible for reliable power anywhere the sun shines.
Our Programs
Our programs are focused on the Island of Hispaniola where the Dominican Republic occupies the eastern two thirds and Haiti occupies the western one third.
Self-initiative is an important aspect of how EAF accomplishes our mission through program activities that support education and entrepreneurship. Click these links to see a description of our programs: Solar for Education Program & Entrepreneur Support Program
Our Commitments
EAF is part of a broader international movement to advance access to sustainable energy. We are committed to contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) Initiative and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. We hope that you will join us in our commitment to support these goals.