Green Gown Awards 2018 - The University of Nottingham - Highly Commended

The Liter of Light Nigeria project is an innovative solution that utilises solar panels and recycled plastic bottles to produce clean, long-lasting solar bottle lights.

The objective of the project is to use locally sourced and recycled materials to assemble, install and teach people how to make affordable and sustainable solar bottle light for homes. These solar bottle lights are ideal for communities with temporary settlements and semi-structured buildings.

Last August, we developed and installed 100 sustainable solar light bottles in a Makoko community in Lagos, an area which previously struggled with the provision of light. Simultaneously, the project empowered over 25 people with the requisite skills to build these solar lights. The skills acquired can be used to start their own micro-business.

Top 3 learnings:

• Light will drastically improve the quality of life of a people and increase access to education.
• Technology should be designed from the ground-up, using local individuals to meet local needs and deliver real impact.
• Improving quality of life is integral to sustainable development.

CO2t savings over the life cycle of the project: 1379.55 tonnes CO2, projected estimate over three year lifespan.