Millions of solar home systems (SHSs) from dozens of manufacturers
have been sold worldwide. Strong commercial markets for SHSs
and the low-voltage DC appliances they power will continue to
grow in the coming years. It’s the mission of the Clean Energy Ministerial’s
Global Lighting and Energy Access Partnership (Global LEAP) to support
these markets.

The purpose of the Global LEAP Awards’ Off-Grid Solar Home Systems
Technical & Market Guide is to (1) provide high-level technical and market
information about currently available SHSs and (2) facilitate connections
and business opportunities between SHS companies, DC appliance
manufacturers, and other energy access professionals.

Limitations to the Guide and Next Steps

SHSs are technologically complex, and many companies offer a range of
products. This guide presents the best available high-level technical and
market information about one (1) SHS product and/or configuration per
company. Please contact these companies with any questions about their
products or product offerings.

Many companies were contacted for this guide but only those listed
here provided the necessary information in time to be featured. A revision
of this guide is planned for autumn 2013—if you would like your product
to be included or would like to provide updated product information in a
forthcoming version of this guide, please contact GlobalLEAP@hq.doe.gov.
About the Global LEAP Awards

Global LEAP’s mission is to encourage self-sustaining commercial markets
that increase modern energy access worldwide. The Global LEAP Awards
is an off-grid appliance competition that recognizes the highest quality,
most energy-efficient low-voltage DC appliances, and then promotes those
products to off-grid market stakeholders.

The Global LEAP Awards is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and
the ClimateWorks Foundation. CLASP serves as the Global LEAP Awards’
Operating Agent. For more information, visit www.GlobalLEAPawards.org.