Empowering Energy Poor Communities: Solar Water Heater Intervention

We are addressing the Global Climate Challenge, though in addition to climate we work on a challenge that sits at the nexus of poverty, gender, and health. Approximately 8 million Egyptian households, representing 40% of the country's population, lack access to modern water heating technologies. Instead, these households rely on manual methods such as gas tanks, kerosene lamps, or makeshift fires to heat water on a daily basis. (Egypt - Household Income, Expenditure, and Consumption Survey, HIECS 2019/2020) This means that daily practices - such as washing hands or bathing - are a burden. This reliance poses significant long-run financial, time, health and safety risks and also contributes to environmental degradation. Moreover, it perpetuates gender disparities, as women often bear the responsibility for water heating activities. In terms of climate: a single household, based on our observations, consumes at minimum one 30-liter gas tank to heat water per month. In terms of emissions, that means that a household emits at least 75 kg of carbon per month just to heat water. If we multiply this figure month after month, across millions of households, then we have substantial amounts of emissions that result in both poor air quality for breathing and contributes to global warming. 

Shamsina designs, manufactures and delivers affordable, locally-made solar water heaters for all Egyptians, from energy poor communities to energy-conscious consumers. Our local production process helps revive industry and strengthens local know-how. Through a hybrid model, Shamsina makes reliable solar water heaters widely accessible, reaching every corner of the country and especially those who struggle most. Shamsina’s grid-free model transforms the way we secure energy by decentralizing access and freeing users from monthly bills. Every step of our process is eco-friendly and socially-centered. 

Over years and multiple iterations, we have developed a local solar water heater suited to local conditions. The locally-produced solar water heater has been piloted in ~25 households across 8 governorates in Egypt. It has been optimized for local conditions, with features such as an adjustable stand in case of an un-even rooftop, and light-weight storage units for ease of transport and installation.  

Currently, Shamsina is partnering with nonprofits and government to deliver solar water heaters to ultra-poor households. The intervention will be implemented as part of a field experiment in order to measure impact, and to propose a path to scale through integration in existing government programs targeting ultra-poor households.

Beyond this, Shamsina has tested several commercial installations - including for a Nile cruise boat - in order to develop a commercial arm as part of a sustainable business model.

Shamsina primarily targets the 40% of the Egyptian population that does not have access to a modern water heater. These are households that often cannot afford either or both the upfront costs of a modern water heater and/or the ongoing costs of electric bills or gas bills associated with modern water heaters. Instead, these households rely on manual methods such as gas tanks, kerosene lamps, or makeshift fires to heat water on a daily basis. Often times, the burden to heat water falls on women. Several times a day, women in the household will heat a pot of water at a time to attend to their household's hand washing, ablutions, and bathing needs. By providing households with convenient access to hot water, we fundamentally alter daily practices and free time and effort for women. We also contribute to hygiene, health and safety. Convenient water access makes it easier to use and increases frequency of use. Lower indoor gas emissions have the potential to improve indoor air quality, which in turn impacts breathing and respiratory illnesses. And in terms of safety, there are reports of burns, especially among children as well as accidental fires, due to use of gas tanks in open living spaces. Eliminating this will contribute to better household safety. 

Our team is deeply embedded in the community. We first noticed the challenge of manual water heating 10 years ago, while volunteering in Al Darb Al Ahmad, an unplanned district in Cairo. Taken aback by the challenge, we dug deeper - we conducted dozens of interviews in low-income communities across the country and got ahold of government data, only to be taken aback by the sheer scale and implications of the challenge. We've since made it our mission to provide these millions of homes with access to solar water heaters. 

We teamed up with individuals from the very communities where we first noticed the challenge. Our operations team is led by a skilled craftsman from Al Darb Al Ahmad who has been part of our journey since day one. Beyond this, we are a community effort in every sense of the word.

Dozens of partners make Shamsina possible. On the manufacturing end, we operate entirely through partnerships with local manufacturers. In terms of delivery, we work closely with both national and highly localized non-profit and community organizations. This enables an understanding of local dynamics, and an effective targeting and implementation approach. We mimic this approach in every locality where we work - we work through local non-profits that know the community on a personal level, are able to support in selection, implementation and monitoring of the work. 

Shamsina has completed piloting of the technology (among 25+ households), and is currently developing a path to scale. Our current work in ultra-poor communities, where we will install heaters among 50 households, is intended to provide a model for scaling Shamsina's heaters among ultra-poor communities, via government programs. In addition to our non-profit work, we have sold several of our products commercially and continue to develop scaling options on this front. 

Being a part of networks with access to resources from multiple disciplines has consistently been a major factor behind Shamsina's ability to evolve and develop over the years. Mentorship and peer-learning has been key to increasing creative approaches to problems ranging from logistical and production issues to developing a sustainable business model. As Shamsina looks to scale, this support will be transformational in helping create a pathway that maximizes value creation and impact. 

There are currently no solutions targeting this specific challenge - lack of access to a modern water heater among the 'bottom' 40% in Egypt. It is a challenge that faces a market segment, the base of the pyramid, that is often overlooked. Current solar water heaters on the Egyptian market are often imported and thus come at a higher cost, and are targeted at niche markets that are both climate aware and can financially afford the upfront costs of a solar water heater. Few solar water heaters are locally produced; by keeping manufacturing local to the extent possible, our technology aims to boost local know-how and jobs in addition to serving an under-served segment of the population. The heater itself is innovative in the sense that it is tailored to local conditions - our stand, for example, comes with adjustable legs to account for the uneven nature of some local rooftops. We are able to tailor our product for non-traditional contexts, whether it's for a mountainside in Sinai or a boat in the Nile. It is our greatest hope that our work catalyzes more innovation and development of local technologies in this space, and also highlights the potential of local solutions for global problems. 

Our theory of change outlines several key pathways through which the intervention is anticipated to bring about transformative effects:

1. Improved Household Wellbeing: The introduction of automatic solar water heaters is expected to lead to faster access to hot water, resulting in increased frequency of hand washing, bathing and household cleaning with hot water. This, in turn, is anticipated to reduce the prevalence of communicable diseases and enhance mental wellbeing among community members.
2. Socio-Economic Empowerment: By freeing up time previously spent on manual water heating activities, the intervention is expected to enable households to allocate more time to income-generating activities, education, and leisure pursuits. This is projected to contribute to increased household income, improved educational outcomes, and greater financial wellbeing.
3. Environmental Sustainability: The adoption of automatic solar water heaters is anticipated to reduce emissions of pollutants associated with traditional water heating methods, thereby mitigating the impact of climate change and improving air quality within the household environment.
4. Safety and Water Quality: The transition to automatic solar water heaters is expected to reduce the risk of burns associated with manual water heating processes, leading to enhanced physical safety within the household. Additionally, the use of add-on water filters is anticipated to improve water quality, reducing the incidence of waterborne diseases and promoting physical wellbeing.

Beyond the impact of the intervention itself--installation of a solar water heater as a replacement for manual water heating methods--our local production process is expected to yield positive impact on local job creation and economies. Our current model also trains local plumbers in the installation and maintenance of the solar water heaters. As we scale our work, we expect to contribute to the rise of trained installation and maintenance technicians within our target communities.

We have developed a field experiment in order to measure the impact of our intervention.The key outcome measures for the pilot study will include:

1. Changes in household spending on water heating before and after the installation of solar water heaters.
2. Changes in fiscal spending on traditional fuels in the form of subsidies before and after the installation of solar water heaters.
3. Changes in time spent on water heating activities, particularly for women, as reported through surveys and interviews.
4. Changes in indoor air quality, measured through air monitors capturing particulate matter concentration and CO2 levels before and after intervention.
5. Changes in carbon emissions and environmental impact associated with the adoption of solar water heaters, assessed through reductions in use of gas tanks, fires or other methods and proxies for emissions. 

We have identified 30 indicators, across categories, that we will track to measure the impact of solar water heater installation. Please find a sample of these below: 

Water Heating Practices and Environmental Impact:

1. Household spending on water heating before and after the installation of solar water heaters.
2. Time spent on water heating activities, by household members, weekly.
3. Types of activities water heating is used for, by frequency, monthly.
4. Frequency of bathing, by household member, monthly.
5. Frequency of water heating usage for other activities, monthly.
6. Size and number of gas tanks used to heat water (if gas tanks used).
7. Fiscal spending on gas tanks used to heat water (if gas tanks used)
8. Percentage of electricity expenditure allocated to water heating, monthly (if household owns electric heater).
9. Types of activities fire pit is used for (if used)
10. Type of material(s) used to fuel fire pit (if household uses firepit).
11. Hours of fire pit use, weekly 
12. Indoor carbon dioxide concentration (PPM).

We rely on our own version of an existing technology - a solar water heater. We use a specific type, called an evacuated tube solar water heater (as opposed to a flat plate solar water heater). An evacuated tube solar water heater is a type of solar thermal technology used to heat water. It consists of a series of glass tubes, each containing a metal absorber tube within it. These tubes are insulated and placed within a vacuum, which minimizes heat loss through conduction and convection, enhancing the system's efficiency. When sunlight hits the absorber tubes, they absorb the solar energy, heating the water or heat transfer fluid flowing through them. This heated fluid is then circulated to a storage tank, where it can be used for various applications, such as domestic hot water or even space heating. Evacuated tube solar water heaters are known for their high efficiency, even in cold or overcast conditions.

In addition to the leadership, we have 1 full-time staff member; 2 interns; and 20+ contractors involved in the manufacturing and production process.

We have been working on the solution for nearly 10 years, the majority of that time dedicated to research and development related to chronicling the challenge and locally creating the technology. 

Our main priority in terms of our operations is involving and benefiting local communities in all steps of the process. Thus, we have conducted local trainings on the manufacturing and installation of the water heaters, and have directly contracted local community members to support in these capacities. Our scaling strategy involves training local community members to install and maintain water heaters - both so that they are actively included as part of the solution, and for the practical sustainability and scalability of the solution. The defining feature of our target communities is often the lack of work opportunities; by creating and opening these doors, we hope to both create direct shifts and to demonstrate to the communities the possibilities for developing solutions locally.

Shamsina uses hybrid business models for different customer segments. Among our lowest income segments, our 'paying' customers are nonprofits. Among segments that are energy poor but with more disposable income, we are testing pay-as-you-go models, with partial subsidies from sales from our higher-income residential segments and private businesses. We are also exploring creative approaches for subsidization, such as leveraging of the voluntary carbon credit market. 
Our main product is the solar water heater, in different sizes. We provide variations of the product - with add-ons such as a water filter, or electric backup. We also are able to tailor the product to diverse needs. In addition, we provide installation and maintenance services; and provide awareness and instructional sessions and trainings to make sure that the households and communities are equipped to leverage and maintain the product.

We rely on a hybrid model. For low-income customers, non-profit organizations or other donors directly cover the costs. For our higher-end customers, these directly pay for the product. We are currently developing other models for 'in-between' customers, namely a pay-as-you-go model.