27 April 2022 - ARE Member Angaza is thrilled to announce our expanded partnership with RDG and the availability of the R-Series, RDG’s GSM-enabled range of SHS, on the Angaza platform. Founded in Zambia, RDG is a multinational manufacturer and distributor of affordable life-changing products in emerging markets. The R-Series joins RDG’s existing line of high-quality off-grid solar products, which includes the ‘SolarEnebox’ SHS, also available through Angaza.

“We are very excited to grow our existing partnership with RDG and to support the expansion of their SHS product line,” said Lesley Marincola, Angaza CEO. “The R-Series offers consumers in emerging markets affordable solutions to meet their energy needs, with the added benefit of GSM-enabled data gathering to optimize performance and tracking of energy consumption.”

Exploring the R-Series: Scalable options for diverse markets

The R-Series caters to the varied needs of SHS distributors across different markets and will come with the option to add RDG’s 1W LED lights, 24-32” TVs and rechargeable radios.

The R-Series offers a range of SHS products including:

  • The RS1 (20Wh): Available in Q1 2022
  • The R1 (50Wh): Available in Q1 2022
  • The RX1 (150Wh): Available in Q4 2022

The RS1 and R1 have been designed using the same key components, allowing the RS1 to be upgraded to the R1 with a simple change of battery. This cost-effective method of upgrading will be key for distributors to meet their customers’ evolving energy needs over time and establish customer loyalty. The RX1 can be paired with 12V DC refrigerators and other larger appliances.

Exciting features and benefits of the R-Series GSM range of solar home systems

All solar home systems in the R-Series range offer:

  • Color LCD screen to indicate real-time data on charging, discharging, and enabled days remaining (for PAYG customers)
  • Two levels of anti-tampering protection to secure the distributor’s asset
  • GSM geo-tracking to accurately pinpoint customer location
  • GSM data collection of solar panel current, solar panel voltage, output current, output voltage, and daily Wh consumed

Accurate GSM data collection supported by Angaza will significantly improve customer service by enabling easy identification of technical challenges, resulting in saved costs from reduced house visits. 

With asset protection becoming increasingly important, RDG’s two layers of anti-tampering protection will ensure distributors can confidently secure their assets and reduce the cost of losses from tampered units. 

Additionally, RDG’s intuitive LCD display screen answers many common customer questions, improving customer confidence and trust in the product. The LCD display provides the customer with the following information:

  • Real time data on remaining hours of battery based on their current usage 
  • Real time date on hours until battery is fully charged based on current power input
  • Days remaining until system is locked

“Having operated as designers, manufacturers, and most importantly, as last-mile distributors since 2019, RDG has taken the lessons we’ve learned from customers and our own operations in emerging markets to design an outstanding SHS offering. Combined with Angaza’s innovative software, we believe that RDG’s R-Series SHS products will deliver enormous value to last-mile distributors in terms of performance, customer experience, and ROI.” – Rune Gunnar Dige, CEO, RDG

R-Series product specifications

All systems come with a 2yr warranty.

RS1:

  • 12V 4A LIFePO4 Battery
  • GSM-Enabled
  • 20Wh Foldable Panel
  • 2 x USB
  • 4 x 12V DC Outputs

R1:

  • 12V 12A LIFePO4 Battery
  • GSM-Enabled
  • 50Wh Foldable Panel
  • 2 x USB
  • 4 x 12V DC Outputs

RX1:

  • 12V 30A LIFePO4 Battery
  • GSM-Enabled
  • 150Wh Foldable Panel
  • 2 x USB
  • 4 x 12V DC Outputs

 

https://www.angaza.com/2022/04/27/angaza-and-rdg-launch-innovative-gsm-range-of-solar-home-systems/