RS Group & SolarAid Launch $1.3m Africa Solar Drive

Key Figures & Findings: RS Group has entered a three-year partnership with SolarAid to raise £1 million ($1.3 million) to deliver clean solar lights to 150,000 people across rural Africa. The initiative, central to RS Group’s 2030 ESG plan, combines corporate funding, employee engagement, and product contributions to accelerate access to safe, renewable lighting. 

Statistics & Insights: Each solar light is expected to reduce household energy costs by 95% while cutting kerosene and candle use by 90%. Over three years, a single kerosene lamp emits more than one tonne of CO₂—emissions that solar adoption helps avoid. SolarAid has already distributed 2.3 million lights across sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting the scale of impact achievable with new partnerships.

Future Implications: The RS-SolarAid collaboration could catalyze broader adoption of distributed solar in underserved regions by 2030, reducing rural energy poverty while promoting a circular solar economy through repair and reuse. With employee-led fundraising and corporate-matched contributions, the model may inspire replication by other industrial players looking to pair ESG commitments with direct community impact.

Source: RS Group

Quick Take: A £1m partnership between RS Group and SolarAid aims to light up 150,000 lives across Africa with clean solar power.