Eight19 takes its name from the time it takes sunlight to reach
the earth - eight minutes and 19 seconds. It’s mission is to
develop the technologies and manufacturing processes that will
bring off-grid solar power to a new generation of users,
transforming lives and accelerating economic development.Today,
there are 1.6Bn people in the world without electricity. The
majority live in the world’s most economically deprived
communities, where the up-front cost of solar power is
unaffordable. Eight19’s printed plastic solar technology is
designed to deliver flexible, lightweight, robust and lower cost
solar cells for a variety of solar-powered applications. Today,
using IndiGo technology and a mobile phone, Eight19 delivers
solar electricity to communities in Africa and India as an
affordable pay-as-you-go service. It’s cheaper than kerosene,
the most common source of power at present, and much cleaner and
safer. 1. What are the origins of the business? Eight19 was a
spin-out from the Cavendish Laboratory at Cam