d.light Reaches 500,000th Pay-As-You-Go Customer, Launches Access Initiative

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d.light Reaches 500,000th Pay-As-You-Go Customer, Launches Access Initiative

GURGAON, India and SAN FRANCISCO, July 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

    d.light, a for-profit social enterprise that manufactures and distributes solar
lighting and power products in the developing world, today announced it reached sales of
500,000 financed units, providing modern energy access to 2.5 million people on a
pay-as-you-go basis. In response to this success, d.light has launched the Energy Access
Accelerator, an initiative focused on integrating the company's growing range of solar
power products and services with a diversity of payment and distribution systems. Known as
pay-as-you-go solar, d.light's financed solar systems are helping to transform the lives
of 1.2 billion people in the developing world without access to energy.

    (Logo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140723/10102987 )

    (Photo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140723/10102987-INFO )

    "As pioneers in pay-as-you-go solar products and services since 2009, we've learned
that base-of-the-pyramid consumers can and will pay for modern power solutions and that
energy access is not a 'one size fits all' market," said Donn Tice, Chairman and CEO.

    "d.light's Energy Access Accelerator will be focused on scaling distributed energy
solutions for the diversity of energy-impoverished geographies. Scale requires a
consistent user experience, reliable energy and flexible payment options," he added.

    Till date, d.light has sold over 6 million products around the world, impacting the
lives of more than 36 million people. Pay-as-you-go products currently represent 20
percent of d.light's sales, but are expected to grow to 30 percent in the coming year.

    d.light's Energy Access Accelerator will focus on integrating advanced product
technology and service offerings for a full range of payment systems, including
microloans, self-help groups, top-up cards and mobile money. The group will be led by
d.light's President, Ned Tozun, and Managing Director of Global Consumer Finance, Sateesh
Kumar. Mr. Tozun, who co-founded d.light in 2006, will focus on technology enablement of
pay-as-you-go. Mr. Kumar will leverage his past experience as Executive Vice President of
SKS Microfinance, one of the largest public microfinance institutions in the world, to
develop consumer financial services and microfinance partnerships. The group will also
leverage the talents of New Business Initiatives Manager Karl Skare, to apply financing
solutions to a broad range of products and services, as well as CFO Al Wood and Director
of Financial Planning Jill Macari, to mobilise capital.

    About d.light

    Founded in 2006 as a for-profit social enterprise, d.light manufactures and
distributes solar lighting and power products designed to serve more than 2 billion people
globally without access to reliable electricity. Through ten field offices and four
distribution hubs in Africa, China, South Asia and the United States, d.light has sold
over 6 million solar light and power products in 62 countries, improving the lives of more
than 36 million people. d.light is dedicated to providing the most reliable, affordable
and accessible solar lighting and power systems for the developing world and reaching 100
million people by 2020.

    For more information, visit http://www.dlightdesign.com [http://www.dlightdesign.com ].

       
        India Media Contact:
        Sidhartha Vermani
        sid.vermani@dlightdesign.com
        +91-9811603752

    Photo:
    http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140723/10102987

    http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140723/10102987-INFO

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140723/10102987
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140723/10102987-INFO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
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