HONG KONG, CHINA, 15 October 2010 – The BBC this week revealed their selection of a solar-powered lamp and charger as the 100th object in their highly successful “A History of the World in 100 Objects” radio series. As the final object, the solar-powered lamp was selected as an object that reflects the world in 2010 and the big issues confronting today’s global society. The product being used to illustrate the “100th Object” is the d.light S200 solar lantern and mobile charger.
Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum, revealed the object live on national radio in London, saying, “We wanted to pick a technology that is changing peoples’ lives around the world. What solar power has done is give people power over their lives. One object alone cannot definitively sum up the world in 2010 but the aspiration to make clean, affordable power available to the most remote communities through the natural power of the sun is a story worthy of this generation.”
“We are very pleased at the selection of the solar lamp to tell the story of the 21st century,” said d.light CEO Sam Goldman. “We hope this leads to greater recognition that sustainable energy and quality of life for bottom of the pyramid households are fundamental issues of today’s world. These priorities are the core inspiration for our mission and work.”
It was during the Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy ceremony earlier this year that Neil MacGregor first learned about the work of d.light. After the object’s unveiling, Sarah Butler-Sloss, Founder and Director of the Ashden Awards, said, “It’s a small object that represents a solution to two of our biggest global problems: climate change and poverty. Clean renewable energy has to be the energy of the future and affordable, accessible energy is crucial for ending poverty. This 100th object meets both those 21st century challenges.”
The final program of “A History of the World in 100 Objects,” featuring the solar lamp, will be broadcast on BBC Radio Four on October 22. The d.light S200 will be on permanent display at the British Museum in Room 2.
A History of the World is a partnership between the BBC and the British Museum that focuses on world history, involving collaborations between teams across the BBC, and schools, museums and audiences across the UK. The programs travel through two million years from the earliest object in the collection to retell the history of humanity through the objects we have made, from flint to mobile phone. Learn more.
About d.light
d.light is an international consumer products company serving people without access to reliable electricity. Our mission is to enable households without reliable electricity to attain the same quality of life as those with electricity. We will begin by replacing every kerosene lantern with clean, safe and bright light. By 2020, we aim to have improved the lives of 100 million individuals. d.light is financed by leading social enterprise funds Omidyar Network, Acumen Fund and Gray Matters Capital; with investment from prestigious venture capital firms including Nexus India Capital, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Garage Technology Ventures, the Mahindra Group. Learn more.
About The Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy
The Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy champion and reward life-changing ideas, from solar lighting in rural Bangladesh, to smokeless stoves in Eritrea, to low-carbon buildings in the UK. We believe passionately in supporting people who are changing the face of energy to cut CO2, protect the environment and improve peoples’ lives. Learn more.
