EGG Energy Creates Battery-Sharing Program for Developing Nations

Getting reliable energy for powering lights, radios and other necessary devices in places where an electricity grid isn't well established can be rough. The ingenuity for overcoming these problems has been very apparent in Africa, with examples ranging from one family powering their house with a used car battery, a Ugandan woman devising her own cell phone charger from old batteries, or using solar panels on vests to power up batteries.

But now there's a new system that could make getting battery power easier than ever. Taking a cue from Better Place,EGG Energy is starting up a battery sharing program. Equated to Netflix, a person can pick up a battery at a nearby station, use it until the charge is gone, then go drop it off and pick up a fully charged battery with ease.

EGG Energy states, "Since June 2008, a multi-disciplinary team from MIT and Harvard has been working on an innovative solution to bring affordable power to communities in the developing world. Our goal is to bridge the power distribution gap that keeps 1.6 billion people worldwide in the dark."

The subscription-based service starts with a $27 membership for the first year's subscription service. Members can then pick up a fully charged battery, use it until the charge is gone, and go trade it for another fully charged battery. An additional $0.40 is charged per battery swap. The battery will help the user charge their lights, cell phones, radios, and other household devices.

Starting in rural Tanzania, EGG Energy is hoping to spread across Africa and into other countries where inexpensive, easy-to-access power is needed. The company has already created the first distribution center and signed on over 60 members. They feel it's just a matter of time before the business takes off.

Having enough energy for lighting is vital for helping children study schoolwork after the sun goes down, and enough energy for cell phones is vital for rural farmers to keep in touch about everything from harvests to keeping elephants out of their crops. People in developing nations need access to power where the grid doesn't reach, and smart programs such as that devised by EGG Energy are providing it.