BCTA MEMBERSHIP STATUS
Alumni

SECTOR
Energy & Utilities

HEADQUARTERS
Netherlands

REGION OF INITIATIVE
Africa

SDG CONTRIBUTION

RELATED NEWS

Founded in 2003, NOTS is an impact enterprise that is working to improve livelihoods and protect natural resources in Sub-Saharan Africa by building renewable energy enterprises. As an impact enterprise, NOTS aims to maximize its social and environmental impact, while generating enough profit to provide investors with a return on equity. The company currently focuses on the sale and distribution of solar lamps (Blue Power) and sustainable charcoal (Blue Charcoal).

NOTS Blue Power

Nearly 600 million people in Africa live without electricity and often light their homes with kerosene lamps which are expensive and dangerous. As such, NOTS Blue Power provides high-quality, affordable solar lamps to people living off-grid in Sub-Saharan Africa working to save families money, improving their health and reduce CO2 emissions.

NOTS Blue Charcoal

Charcoal is a key resource and vital to the economy in Africa, with about 650 million people cooking with charcoal and at the same time providing related employment for an estimated 12 million people. Unfortunately, charcoal production is estimated to emit harmful emissions of up to 240 million tons of CO2 per year and has been linked to deforestation at an alarming rate. With the production of NOTS Blue Charcoal, the company plans to limit the environmental damage caused by charcoal production and at the same time work to improve livelihoods and increase the income of local producers.

By 2025 the company plans to replace all kerosene lamps with solar lamps and work to make all charcoal production in Sub-Saharan Africa sustainable. The company currently has teams in the Netherlands, Mali and Rwanda.