Innovation

The investment begins by contributing a minimum of €25 to any available crowdfunding campaign provided by TRINE. TRINE’s solar partner of the chosen project will receive this loan as soon as the campaign is fully funded, these partners are companies responsible for installing the solar panels. Our company’s profit with purpose model keeps their business idea viable, charging a fee to the solar partner at the start of loan and keeping 50% of the interest paid. The investors will continuously throughout the campaign receive the initial investment together with the remaining 50% of the interest payments. The solar partner will receive continuous micro-payments from customers of the solar energy which eliminates the large up-front cost for the customers. In the end the initial investor will receive back the investment+interest, and has a possibility to re-invest for more profit.

Inspiration

Inhaling fumes from energy sources like kerosene is equivalent to smoking two packets of cigarettes per day. Access to clean and reliable energy changes lives. It means better health, more time to work and study whilst saving money. The sun produces enough energy in an hour to satisfy the global energy need for an entire year. More importantly, it reduces the need for harmful fossil fuels and reduces costs for low-income households. You as an investor can earn a reasonable return while saving the planet and changing lives. A loan to our solar energy partners means that they can scale their business and provide opportunities for the local community to grow.

Overall impact

It helps eliminate poverty so that people can switch to focus on more productive activities.

Many poor families need to walk for hours to get electricity elsewhere. They spend time on these basic needs and risk the opportunity to use technology and enhance the productivity. Solar energy has helped a great deal in eliminating poverty. Some children no longer need to walk several miles to study at their neighbors’ house with light. They can also get access to the internet to get more information and acquire knowledge. The estimated effect of electricity gain is about two years of education relative to those from non-electrified households. Thus, solar energy can uplift the life of the small communities in the developing regions.

The families can switch to more productive activities. For example, the solar panels help light up shops such as barbershops, salons and entertainment centers so that customers can visit there more often, thereby increasing the profitability. The company aims to fulfill the regions without connection to the national grid.

Business benefit

In the interview, the communication manager in TRINE states that they do not have any specific office hours in the headquarter in Gothenburg, the employees are allowed great flexibility since their innovation is a platform and not an actual product being produced.

TRINE's type of leadership focuses on the well-being of its employees. They are very interactive with the employees. So the workers are given a lot of freedom in how they organize themselves solving different tasks.

The company culture can inspire the ideas of the employees. If one of them were to come up with an idea during a coffee break, they could simply share it. This culture inspires the employees to share their thoughts and stay passionate as they can affect how the company works.

Social and environmental benefit

In their website, Trine claims to have helped 152.822 people across the developing world, as of May 2018, by installing solar panels in their communities, this accounts for €5.561.078 invested and 6.517 tons of carbon dioxide avoided. The services that they provide are similar to those that could be acquired through the Green Climate Fund: a clean source of energy that prevents the effects of climate change. As such we can conclude that they are doing their part in contributing to the fulfilment of the sustainable development goals thirteen and seven.

Interview

Hanna Lindquist, Communication Manager