SolarisKit: He invents an autonomous prismatic solar water heater, inexpensive and very quick to assemble

We don’t always know, but almost 50% of the world’s energy is used to generate heat alone. There are renewable solutions with high energy efficiency, such as B. Solar collectors for hot water, but certain techniques are not suitable for certain regions of the world. Everything could change thanks Feisal Ghani, CEO of SolarisKit, which invented the first self-assembled and flat-packed solar water heater, the SolarKit S400, an innovation that makes it easy to heat water, in an ecological and affordable way. This invention could meet many needs in Europe but also all over the world and especially in Africa where the supply of hot water to the population is a real shortage. Discovery!

Who is SolarisKit?

SolarisKit is a certified B Corp based in Dundee, Scotland, founded in 2019 by their CEO Feisal Ghani. This year the company was part of the EIT Climate-KIC program in Scotland, in partnership with the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute (ECCI). When Feisal Ghani When he becomes a father, he finds sleep deprivation and mainly documents the fact that Rwandans have to Spend 40% of their meager income on energy. At the time he was an academic at Heriot-Watt and a lecturer in renewable energy engineering, and he figured converting sunlight to heat shouldn’t be that complicated; that this would have an economic impact on people’s lives, but also ecologically for the planet. He explains : “The reason why solar energy has not penetrated the markets of Africa, Central America or Southeast Asia is because the solutions available were mainly developed to meet the needs of rich and industrialized countries like Europe.” In fact, Africa already has a warm and sunny climate completely sufficient for this type of installationbut the technologies are not adapted to this continent… Too bad for the student that he was then!

What is SolarisKit?

Solar water heaters already exist, but on this continent they are first difficult to manufacture and then to transport. Excessive temperatures can be dangerous for the population and these water heaters remain fragile. In addition, residents often use plastic connectors to collect hot water and These tubes can easily be destroyed by heat.

The SolarisKit S400 was designed with these challenges in mind. The kit comes in the form of a completely flat package that can be transported on a cargo bike, for example. He is supplied with assembly instructions and can be made in about twenty minutes, without knowledge or tools. It is simply connected to the house’s hot water tank via a conventional pump. The solar water heater has also been designed to be safe, heating water up to 70 degrees Celsius, which is hot enough to kill bacteria without damaging the pipes.

What advantages for the SolarisKit?

Unlike current solar panels designed for Europe, which have to be tilted at a certain angle, the SolarisKit is installed on a flat surface or on a flat roof, a structure very common in Africa. “European” solar panels must also take into account an orientation towards the equator, a knowledge that residents of remote villages do not always have … The SolarisKit S400 therefore eliminates the risk of incorrect installation because it can follow the sun passively thanks to its prismatic shape.

The other undeniable advantage of the SolarisKit is that it can be placed anywhere as long as it’s flat and sunny! It can also be placed far from home because you just have to fill it with water and then wait for the day to have hot water in the evening, directly accessible via an integrated tap. Mister Ghani closes with these words: To me, innovation is about creating something simple and practical that improves someone’s life or the environment. You take a complicated problem and turn it into a simple solution, and I think that’s where the impact lies. An excellent innovation, isn’t it? For more information: www.solarikit.com