Clean energy retail
Clean Energy Retail provides access – both physical and financial – to small-scale, clean and efficient energy products. Under the Clean Energy Retail program, EarthSpark builds clean energy value chains to eradicate energy poverty via its Haitian brand, Enèji Pwòp (“Clean Energy” in Haitian Creole), providing access to small-scale solar products and efficient cookstoves through a growing network of local entrepreneurs and clean energy stores.
The Enèji Pwòp Brand- High-Quality, Life-Changing Products
Enèji Pwòp provides a product line of life-changing products for families who would otherwise rely on kerosene and candles to light their homes and businesses and low-quality cookstoves fueled with charcoal to cook their food. Enèji Pwòp products change that. Efficient cookstoves save time and money – about $5 per month. Solar desk lamps offer over five times as much light output as a kerosene lamps, and can pay for themselves out of fuel savings in less than 6 months. Solar lights are much safer- the exposed flame of a kerosene lamp or candle is responsible for burning hundreds of children every year, and occasionally burns homes down.
In some parts of Haiti, as many as 50% of households might run some kind of micro- or small-enterprise, such as a market stall. These enterprises also need energy – be it light for selling goods at night, charcoal for cooking snacks, or electricity for refrigeration. Our customers have already begun to monetize the services offered by their clean energy products: several women started mobile-phone charging businesses with their solar home systems, and now make enough income to pay for the full cost of the system.
EarthSpark works with local, national, and international partners to make sure that the products sold under the Enèji Pwòp brand are well-tested and carefully chosen for quality and value. All Enèji Pwòp products are tested and vetted by Enèji Pwòp, the World Bank, IFC, US Department of Energy, and/or US Universities. In being selective about the quality of its products, Enèji Pwòp prevents market spoilage and keeps its customers’ ongoing maintenance and repair costs down.
In some parts of Haiti, as many as 50% of households might run some kind of micro- or small-enterprise, such as a market stall. These enterprises also need energy – be it light for selling goods at night, charcoal for cooking snacks, or electricity for refrigeration. Our customers have already begun to monetize the services offered by their clean energy products: several women started mobile-phone charging businesses with their solar home systems, and now make enough income to pay for the full cost of the system.
EarthSpark works with local, national, and international partners to make sure that the products sold under the Enèji Pwòp brand are well-tested and carefully chosen for quality and value. All Enèji Pwòp products are tested and vetted by Enèji Pwòp, the World Bank, IFC, US Department of Energy, and/or US Universities. In being selective about the quality of its products, Enèji Pwòp prevents market spoilage and keeps its customers’ ongoing maintenance and repair costs down.
Micro-franchising - Creating Sustainable Clean Energy Businesses
In 2011, EarthSpark expanded the Enèji Pwòp brand and implemented a micro-consignment expansion plan tagged “Biz in a Bag” (BIAB) to expand sales distribution through a network of trustworthy local entrepreneurs. In a matter of months, EarthSpark expanded from one clean energy store and four local employees based in one community to a distributed network of 50 entrepreneurs throughout the Southwest corridor and in other points of high demand in Haiti.
Through the BIAB model, EarthSpark’s clean energy entrepreneurs are set up with a BIAB kit containing a personalized mix of small-scale clean energy products, marketing materials and training on energy literacy, SMS tracking of sales, and basic business skills. The BIAB kit suits entrepreneurs starting a business for the first time or those wishing to integrate clean energy products into their current businesses.
EarthSpark developed a whole series of clean energy retailer and customer training documents, available here.
Through the BIAB model, EarthSpark’s clean energy entrepreneurs are set up with a BIAB kit containing a personalized mix of small-scale clean energy products, marketing materials and training on energy literacy, SMS tracking of sales, and basic business skills. The BIAB kit suits entrepreneurs starting a business for the first time or those wishing to integrate clean energy products into their current businesses.
EarthSpark developed a whole series of clean energy retailer and customer training documents, available here.
crowd funding with kiva.org
EarthSpark is delighted to partner with kiva.org to crowdfund loans directly to Enèji Pwòp clean energy entrepreneurs in Haiti. EarthSpark was one of the first organizations to become a Kiva Experimental Partner lending not money but clean energy products to loan recipients to help them grow their businesses. Kiva's global network of generous individual donors has thus far supported over fifty entrepreneurs with loans totaling over $30,000.
The stories of Kiva Enèji Pwòp entrepreneurs are some of our favorite examples of how EarthSpark is making a difference on the ground. Please check the Enèji Pwòp Kiva page frequently to see if any Enèji Pwòp entrepreneurs are seeing inventory loans!
The stories of Kiva Enèji Pwòp entrepreneurs are some of our favorite examples of how EarthSpark is making a difference on the ground. Please check the Enèji Pwòp Kiva page frequently to see if any Enèji Pwòp entrepreneurs are seeing inventory loans!
e-commerce - enejipwop.comwww.enejipwop.com is an easy, online way for Haitians living abroad to purchase clean energy products for their friends and family in Haiti. This is a way for diaspora members to support local Haitian businesses while they are ensuring that their friends and family in Haiti are receiving high quality clean energy products backed by full Enèji Pwòp service and warranties. The products purchased online are made available for pickup through the network of local Haitian Enèji Pwòp retailers. The site also serves as a source of information on Enèji Pwòp's work as well as information about energy access in Haiti and around the world published in French and Haitian Creole.
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Magazen Enèji PwòpEarthSpark opened Haiti’s first clean energy store, the Magazen Enèji Pwòp, in July 2010 in Les Anglais, selling solar products and efficient and alternative fuel cookstoves. The store was built and is currently managed in partnership with local community organization COREA (Committee for the Lifting up of Les Anglais.) To date the store has earned over $28,000 in revenue and served hundreds in the community. It also serves as a center of education and knowledge for the community on energy access. It also serves as a laboratory to field testing of Enèji Pwòp products, ensuring that the EP line carries high-quality products that are valued and wanted by the community.
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