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Recent News
Building the Direct Solar Economy
Time to check on our journey! Step one was to test and try our ideas about a direct solar economy, meaning how can the use of direct sunshine impact the economy positively. It’s a multi-factorial impact: Environment preservation (no more wood burning) Health protection (no more breathing in (…)
Another Lytefire with STEM Synergy
Another solar baking oven installed by STEM Synergy partner and licensee in Ethiopia! Congratulations. Empowering Communities Through Solar Technology is one of the motivations of STEM Synergy. In collaboration with a dedicated group from Wolaita now living in the U.S., their team has (…)
Moving from Training Solar Entrepreneurs to Incubating Them
For more than a decade Lytefire has tackled the energy, climate and poverty crisis by spreading sustainable solar tech and training. We’ve been able to create jobs where resources are few, reduce emissions while growing the local economy, and for us this has also brought new hope that yes, (…)
First breads and cakes in Agnam Lidoubé, Senegal
All units have safely arrived in Senegal for this project led by Association Adscal, the training with our friend Michel was short but great, Isma and Abou provided fantastic guidance and now the first solar and charcoal tests are starting. The bakers are working very well with their solar (…)
Récompense du Prix Afrique Excellence pour la boulangerie solaire au Kenya
La boulangerie solaire Solar Fire Bakery au Kenya s’est vue attribuer le deuxième Prix Afrique Excellence. Joan Ogwang Arwa et son équipe sont primés ainsi que nous à Lytefire qui l’avons beaucoup soutenue depuis la création il y a 5 ans (déjà !), notamment Eva Wissenz, Urs Riggenbach et (…)
6 solar bakeries in Kenya with Jansen PrimeSteps Foundation
We are happy and honored to start a new project in East Africa with the trust and support of Jansen PrimeSteps Foundation. The foundation is focused on poverty alleviation through entrepreneurship, and with this new project PrimeSteps is going to help us elevate our work and increase our impact (…)
Cooperation with UNDP
The UNDP (or United Nations Development Program) is one of the major stakeholders when it comes to implementing the energy transition and livelihoods improvement for vulnerable populations. “UNDP works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities (…)
Lytefire in Senegal: finally
It’s been a very long time since we wanted to start a project in Senegal with the right partner. We are very happy to see that this is finally happening. It will all happen in the village of Agnam Lidoubé, where four solar ovens are going to be installed thanks to Adscal Association and (…)
3rd cooperation in Kenya with World Vision
Our cooperation with World Vision has been very important to us because it is while working with them that our model could be refined towards African entrepreneurs in 2016 (here) and in 2017 (here). We met Mrs Joan Arwa back then and she has always been a fantastic colleague. Since 3 years now (…)
Right of Reply Regarding Public Accusations by Lytefire
By: Right to reply: Arnaud Crétot and SCOP NeoLoco. I would like to respond here to public accusations made against myself, the SCOP NeoLoco and TELED. These statements were published on March 31, 2025, by Eva Wissenz (Managing Director & Board Director of Lytefire) on Lytefire’s (…)
It is World Social Justice Day every day
Lytefire in Cacheu, Guinea Bissau, for Swissaid (2025) It’s been 13 years since Lytefire was founded in Finland first by two, then six motivated (very motivated) people who wanted to facilitate access to clean energy for the most vulnerable populations, from the Global South. Vulnerable? (…)
Solar Fire bakery breaks even in Kenya!
The best reward for a company is a happy customer! Joan Ogwang is not one of them. She’s a woman entrepreneur from Kenya. In Kisumu, she created the "Solar Fire Bakery" in 2022. She trained herself and started with a first Lytefire oven. At that time, she was part of our team of trainers (…)
Lytefire is not low tech. It is unique. And it is not for activism.
Lytefire is unique. It is for workers, entrepreneurs, and artisans from the South and made possible with the support of the humanitarian sector and industrial sponsors. Lytefire is not open source and it is not low tech. We do not like labels. We simply do our work and our users create the (…)
Sophia Antipolis
On prend toujours un risque à rêver. Celui de créer un rêve si fou que l’on serait tenté de tout quitter pour le suivre. Celui de ne pas arriver à le partager et de le voir moisir. Celui de le partager trop tôt ou de le voir filer trop vite. Celui de le voir évoluer aussi entre d’autres (…)
STEM Synergy never stops!
About a year ago in 2024, we presented the first solar bakery installed by our partner and licensee Stem Synergy in Ethiopia. Since then our partner and licensee STEM Synergy has done A LOT to empower communities through STEM Education and Sustainable Solutions Ras Mekonnen Elementary School (…)
Leaving Twitter/X behind and moving on
We just closed down our Twitter/X accounts for Lytefire. Soon we’ll move away from Facebook and Instagram. The best way to follow up is our newsletter: https://lytefire.com/newsletter We also continue to be active on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/38140646/
Lytefire softly entering French high school curriculum
When you see 14 years of team efforts included in the next generation’s Science Textbook for high school French teens. Thank you Editions Bordas!
Solar Nurturing Artisans
Here we are at last! First feedbacks from African and European entrepreneurs. First case studies. And a second stage of development in sight! Beyond the humanitarian work we’re passionate about, several artisans (craftsmen) have taken up the challenge and set up shop to run their business with (…)
Les Artisans Solaires Nourriciers
Nous y sommes enfin. Premiers retours d’expériences des entrepreneurs africains et européens. Premières études de cas. Et par conséquent, deuxième stade d’évolution en perspective !! Au-delà de l’aide humanitaire qui nous passionne, plusieurs artisans ont relevé le défi et se sont installés (…)
Solar Concentration Outperforms Photovoltaic Panels in Cost and Performance, Here is Why
This is indeed something we get asked from time to time. And the answer is yes, solar concentration is cheaper in many contexts. It depends on what you want to do with the energy. Left: A student and I installing a PV system at a school in rural Nepal. Right: Lytefire solar cookers deployed (…)
Nous soutenons volontiers vos campagnes de financement participatif (crowdfunding) !
C’est très stimulant pour nous de voir de nouveaux entrepreneurs solaires s’équiper de leur matériel Lytefire en demandant à leur communauté de les soutenir. A chaque fois, de beaux cercles vertueux se créent, et nous, chez Lytefire, on aime ça ! C’est aussi ça l’économie circulaire, non ? (…)
We gladly support your crowdfunding campaigns!
It’s very energizing for us to see new solar entrepreneurs setting themselves up with their Lytefire equipment and asking their own communities to support them. Each time beautiful virtuous circles are created and we, at Lytefire, love to see that! Isn’t this as well circular economy in full? (…)
L’entreprise généreuse
Si vous préférez écouter le podcast : Eva Wissenz · L'entreprise génénereuse Je crois que je n’ai jamais été aussi fière de mener une entreprise aussi contre-performante que la nôtre. Lytefire est un pari généreux et de plus en plus porté par les femmes. Et plus j’avance, plus ce pari (…)
A generous company
I think I have never been so proud to lead a company as under-performing as ours. Lytefire is a generous bet and one that is increasingly supported by women. And the more I move forward, the more this bet embodied by our small team strengthens my conviction that generous companies have (…)
Micro-brasserie Hélie, entretien avec le fondateur
Voici une brève video pour voir comment Romain utilise sa Lytefire : Début 2024, notre collègue Muriel est allée rendre visite à Romain Zamboni dans l’Est de la France. L’objectif était de mieux comprendre son travail et sa motivation à lancer une brasserie fonctionnant à l’énergie solaire. (…)
Micro-brewery Hélie: discussion with the founder
Here is a short video (in French) to understand how Romain is using his Lytefire: .embed-responsive-4by3::before padding-top: 75%; At the beginning of 2024, our colleague Muriel went to visit Romain Zamboni in East France. The goal was to understand better his work and (…)
A new solar baking activity in Ethiopia
STEM has proudly equipped the EMUABENAN Bakery Union in Wolayta, in Ehtiopia! This initiative is empowering local entrepreneurs and addressing energy and food security challenges in the community. Through collaboration and innovation, STEM is fostering entrepreneurship among youth and women (…)
Nouvelle activité boulangère au Burkina-Faso
C’est dans le village de Poa Loaga que s’est déroulée cette étape de notre partenariat avec la Fondation Jansen PrimeSteps visant à équiper des groupes de femmes dynamiques avec des fours solaires de boulangerie. Toujours bien épaulés par Mr Vincent Nikiema, fondateur de SOS Energie (…)
Qu’est-ce que vous utilisez ? De la low-tech, de la mid-tech ou de la high-tech ?
Nous voulons réduire l’impact du changement climatique et transformer autant que reconstruire des sociétés fondées sur davantage de justice sociale. Il nous semble que toutes les technologies que nous utilisons doivent être adaptées au contexte de leur utilisation, et les outils doivent (…)
What’s in your hands? Low-Tech, Mid-Tech or High-Tech?
We want to mitigate climate change, and transform and rebuild societies based on more social justice. All the tech we use should be adapted to the context of their usage, and people’s tools need to be in people’s hands. What we need is long lasting sustainable technologies supporting human (…)
Energie solaire, Urgence climatique et Engagement collectif
A l’occasion de la célébration du 50e anniversaire du congrès de l’UNESCO tenu en 1973 sur « Le soleil au service de l’Homme », une journée d’étude « Energie solaire, Urgence climatique et Engagement collectif » a été organisée le 12 décembre 2023 au Collège de France. Les participants (…)
Démystifier l’Open Source dans le domaine de l’Impact
Il est temps de clarifier un point important concernant l’Open Source. Nous croyons en toutes les vertus de l’open source, mais en raison de ses limites, nous avons décidé de ne pas nous engager dans cette voie. Nous expliquons ici notre modèle. Il est communément admis que l’on peut (…)
Debunking Open Source in Impact
It’s time to clarify an important point about Open Source. We believe in all the virtues of open source, but because of its limitations, we decided not to embrace that path. We are explaining here our model. The common understanding is that one can open source anything if the know-how is (…)
Successful crowdfunding campaign for Haïti
It’s another small victory against the forces of darkness, confusion and despair! Thanks to you, Makenson and his family are really happy to be able to move forward with their great initiative for Haiti! A big thank you to everyone for your support of the crowdfunding for the PAIN SOLEIL (…)
Energy Savings with Lytefire - Fast Returns or Waste of Money? Calculate Yourself!
Today Lytefire powers several solar bakeries, roasteries, kitchens and even a brewery and even a sauna. Every time this solar concentrating technology is used, it means no electricity, no charcoal and no firewood is burnt. Good for the planet, and good for the users’ wallets. But how good? (…)
Peace & Bread
One reason to be happy: No AI will ever be able to provide an “experience” as powerful as sharing fresh bread with our friends and beloved ones. Bread is a key food in many cultures, a symbol for sharing, conviviality and generosity. Bread is a simple food, yet nutritious and delicious. (…)
Des nouvelles de Lougsi
Les 105 femmes du village de Lougsi, situé à 30 km de Ouagadougou, ont été accompagnées par l’association locale SOS Energie, par notre équipe et la Fondation Jansen PrimeSteps pour se doter d’un four solaire. Après une longue pause due aux événements politiques, nous avons pu revenir constater (…)
Lytefire à La Villette, Paris
Tout le weekend, l’association normande des Vagabonds de l’Energie était présente à la Cité des sciences et de l’industrie à Paris pour le festival Tête à Tech. Avec 240 visiteurs, ils ont discuter low tech, énergie solaire, et dégustation savouresue avec les produits de NeoLoco torréfié avec (…)
A word about carbon credits
You have to chose your battles. When we started with Lytefire a decade ago (under the name Solar Fire Concentration), some of us founders were very skeptical about carbon credits. At each pitching event, each business meeting, when the topic was rising, we were trying to explain that the best (…)
A Light of Hope in Uganda
The rising levels of poverty and unemployment in low developed countries has left the youth desperate, denying them a chance to attain quality education, ridding them a chance to access sources of capital to start businesses, and leaving masses of opportunities and potential untapped. In Uganda, (…)
Nice solar bakery training in Kakuma
Coming back to Don Bosco Institute Kakuma(DBIK) after the first training, we were so pleased to find that the institution had a fully operational bakery with all the bookkeeping in order and the channels of purchase and sales were well structured. The baker Mr. Yona has been keeping up with (…)
From feeding a group of 20 people to cooking for 100 people!
From Kisumu workshop to the well prepared grounds of Don Bosco Institute in Kakuma, Kenya, a solar oven and 3 cookers were well received, assembled and they boast fully lined up together with the previously installed oven ready to continue serving the local Don Bosco Institute. To continue (…)
First trainings completed for Rape Hurts Foundation
The bottom line of the training is that these girls would be able to open up their own businesses managed by themselves. By doing so, by becoming active sustainable entrepreneurs, the hope is that their problems of dependency and idleness would end. There are people who have been able to see (…)
Love for life celebration
Dear Friends, Today is the day to tell you how much we love life, forest, empowered humans and balanced eco-systems. Love is the root, always. We wish you lots of love and loving choices to make this world a better place. Picture: Valentine’s cake - solar baked by Nebbi’s Smart Up bakery in (…)