How do portable solar lamps work?
Understanding how portable solar lamps work helps you make better decisions, whether you are supporting humanitarian operations, looking for dependable off-grid solar lighting or preparing for power cuts at home. This guide explains the fundamentals. We cover solar lamp basics, charging and storage, battery runtime, common misconceptions, and when portable solar lighting works best.
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![Image of the upgraded SunBell 2.0Y solar panel made with 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic and the Sol solar lamp with the new, lighter and more efficient monocrystalline solar panel using Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) plastic. Two latest innovations showcasing BRIGHT's approach to using circular product design to tackkle plastic pollution]()
- Insights
Tackling plastic pollution through circular product design, BRIGHT’s approach
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates that globally more than 400 million tonnes of plastic is produced annually. Half is used once and discarded, with less than 10% recycled. Around 11 million tonnes end up in water bodies annually, imposing a global environmental and social cost of between US$300 billion to US$600 billion.
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![BRIGHT solar lamp for emergencies glowing in a dark indoor space, ideal for emergency kits during power outages or severe weather.]()
- Insights
How to choose the best solar lamp for emergencies
Power outages are a predictable feature of modern crises. Storms, floods and grid failures often cut electricity when it is needed most. For governments, aid agencies and households, a dependable solar lamp has become an essential part of emergency preparedness. The right lamp can provide safety, light critical spaces and keep basic communication running when the power goes out.
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![BRIGHT designs solar lamps to provide light that balances brightness and colour temperature]()
- Insights
Lighting the way: How BRIGHT designs solar lamps for comfort & efficiency
Behind every solar lamp we create lies a critical design philosophy: real-world use must shape technical choices. The light emitting diodes (LEDs) in our solar lights are meticulously engineered to provide optimal brightness and appropriate colour temperature. Explore how we choose brightness and colour temperature in our solar lamps, and why those decisions matter for the people we serve.
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![Humanitarian NGOs are switching to solar power in crisis zones ditching diesel generators for solar panels]()
- Insights
Why NGOs are switching to solar power in crisis zones
For years humanitarian aid operations have relied on diesel generators, which are costly, logistically complex, and environmentally damaging, as the main source of power in operations. Now, a growing number of humanitarian NGOs are replacing these machines with solar power or solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. Why? Because solar energy offers a better way forward: it is more sustainable, more affordable over time, and easier to deploy in hard-to-reach areas.
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![BRIGHT's Lorena and Madeleine at the BRIGHT booth at DIHAD]()
- News
BRIGHT to unveil more sustainable SunBell solar lamp at DIHAD 2025
BRIGHT Products will be presenting the upgraded and more sustainable version of its popular SunBell solar lamp at the 21st Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference and Exhibition (DIHAD) between 29 April and 1 May.
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![Image by Freepik]()
- Humanitarian
- Sustainability
- Collaboration
How innovation-friendly procurement can make humanitarian aid more sustainable
Procurement may not be the most glamorous function in humanitarian operations, but it is one of the most powerful. As crises grow in complexity and urgency, the systems behind aid delivery must evolve. At the heart of this transformation lies a quiet revolution: innovation-friendly procurement.
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- Collaboration
- Humanitarian
- News
Pioneering Partnerships: BRIGHT at DIHAD
BRIGHT has been a proud participant at the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development (DIHAD) Conference & Exhibition for several years. We are back again this year with a booth at the Norway Pavillion organized by Innovation Norway. But why exactly are we here? Why DIHAD?
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- Collaboration
- News
Celebrating BRIGHT's new website & collaboration with creative design agency Feed
Yesterday, we celebrated a proud moment: the launch of our brand-new website. While the website has been live since early March, we took this opportunity to mark the occasion and celebrate our successful collaboration with Feed, which has brought remarkable results and reassured us of our decision
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