Introduced in 2010, the Total Access to Energy program was designed to test and develop innovative and profitable business models on a large scale, with a view to finding long-term solutions to the problem of energy access for low-income communities. The distribution of affordable and reliable off-grid solar solutions is the first major achievement of the program.
Total Access to Energy: Reliable solar solutions
The product offering, initially comprising individual solar lighting and phone charging systems, is evolving towards more comprehensive and powerful solutions. These solutions include solar kits for powering a full household using a variety of devices like radio and TV sets, as well as minigrids for communities of 200 to 500 households and small businesses.
To foster access to energy for low-income populations, Total is relying on the following areas of expertise:
Sourcing: Total developed an expertise in sourcing clean, safe, reliable and innovative solar solutions, and has built strong partnerships with manufacturers to help them design suitable solutions for meeting local needs.
To date, Total has already sourced over 40 solar off-grid lighting solutions from rigorously selected manufacturers. Moreover, the group will continue to develop its product range in order to continuously adapt to local needs. Beyond the catalogue of lighting solutions, additional quality solutions tailored to the needs of partners will be identified, such as solar phone charging stations, solar kiosks, street lamps and more.
Quality: Suppliers must undergo a qualification process to be accepted. This qualification process includes regular audits. Total monitors carefully the quality of its solar solutions in order to maintain quality and a high rate of end-user satisfaction (85 percent).
Distribution: Solar lamps are available in more than 40 countries (2017 figures) in over 4,000 service stations. Service stations represent the main sales channel, accounting for 60 percent of the lamps sold. The remaining 40 percent is channeled through business partners, enabling remote areas to be reached.
Marketing: To foster local program growth and sustainability, and solar energy awareness, numerous tools have been developed over the last six years. These include training tools and manuals, digital product catalogues, customer database, promotional material, press kits and communication campaigns.
Customer understanding is at the heart of Total's strategy to meet energy access needs. The Access to Energy team draws on the local presence of Total affiliates to better understand local contexts. In addition, dedicated studies are conducted to assess products, impact and the satisfaction of users.
Innovation is an inherent component of Total's access to energy activities to address the evolving energy needs in challenging environments and contexts. A dedicated team works on developing new business models, tools and solutions. Several pilots economically sustainability pilot projects are currently underway.
Total's Access to Energy Program teams are free to propose and explore innovative solutions and are supported by the resources, expertise and reputation of a multinational company. Because of this, Total has won a significant market share of the certified solar lamp distribution sector in Africa, and has scaled-up the program to levels not seen before in the energy industry.
The Access to Energy team is now testing new business models, selling new equipment and offering financing solutions, while adhering at all times to its founding principles: scalability, sustainability, reliability and innovation. The group's goal now is to impact the lives of 25 million people in Africa by 2020 and to make the products available in at least 50 countries.
See a video spotlighting Total Access to Energy's efforts in Burkina Faso .
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SUNSHINE range provides new solar energy solutions from TOTAL
In 2011, Total launched the Access to Energy program, with the objective of distributing decentralized solar solutions to people without access to the grid, via its subsidiaries and partners.
As of today, more than 11 million people in 40 countries have been positively impacted with those clean and affordable energy solutions, positioning Total a key player in this sector in Africa.
In 2018, the Group launches its own range of solar solutions.
Short and scalable, the Total “SUNSHINE” range covers three main segments of the individual solar solutions market, from reading lamps to Solar Home Systems (kits). For a start, the offer includes two models of individual solar lamps (with and without the phone charging feature) and a solar kit, which have the following comparative advantages:
- Clean and safe alternative solutions that don’t generate CO² emissions nor toxic fumes
- An excellent price/quality value proposition
- An innovative design
- Best in class performances
- A 2-year warranty
- Solutions certified by Lighting Global, an independent organism
- An offer available in a large number of Total service stations and partners’ networks all around Africa
Beyond the 2 lamps and the kit, the energy access team will keep on expanding the SUNSHINE range to meet customers’ needs and is currently working on solar kiosks, fans and cooling solutions.
The is a new milestone in the Group’s objective to bring affordable and clean energy to the most numerous clients, in a sustainable and profitable way.
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