Liberian Energy Network

What Liberian Energy Network does

Liberian Energy Network (LEN) is a US-incorporated 501(c)(3) non-profit with a Liberian operating subsidiary (LEN, Inc., incorporated in Liberia in 2015) that distributes and installs off-grid solar power systems for rural and peri-urban Liberians beyond the reach of the national electrical grid. The organization was founded in 2011 by Richard Fahey following a Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative fellowship, with the Liberian operating entity registered in 2012 under local management. LEN is headquartered in Paynesville (Monrovia suburb) on Somalia Drive, with a US office in Missoula, Montana, and operates with 11-50 employees.

LEN's core product portfolio centers on off-grid photovoltaic systems ranging from small portable units (the WoW Solar 60 Lighting System with three lights and a phone charger, manufactured by Amped Innovation PBC) to 1KW and 6KW installations for healthcare facilities such as Phebe Hospital and Kolahun Hospital, plus custom marine solar systems adapted by LEN's engineering staff for artisanal fishing boats. The organization combines two revenue streams: hardware sales through its Paynesville retail showroom and channel partners, and grant-funded design-and-installation services for hospitals, schools, orphanages, and community facilities. Pay-as-you-go installment plans via mobile money (through a Mercy Corps partnership) and payroll check-off distribution (via FAWUL) extend affordability to base-of-pyramid customers. Customer targets span rural household lighting, smallholder rubber tappers, artisanal fishermen, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions, with the Liberian Rural Renewable Energy Agency recognizing LEN as the country's largest off-grid solar distributor in 2017 after serving 70,000 Liberians.

Name

Liberian Energy Network

Legal name

LEN - Liberian Energy Network

Website

https://lightingliberia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Liberian Energy Network is a non-profit social enterprise that distributes and installs off-grid solar power systems for rural and peri-urban Liberians, including households, hospitals, schools, and artisanal fishermen, using grant-funded projects and pay-as-you-go sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Off-grid solar power systems

NAICS

Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)

SIC

Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991), Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)

akta.pro primary industry

Renewable Distributed Generation (Rooftop/Onsite Solar, Small Wind, Small Hydro) (EUACALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System) (EUAMABAB), Solar Financing, Leasing & Ownership Platforms (Tax Equity, PPA, Securitization) (EUAMABAJ)

Keywords

• Off-grid solar systems
• Solar lighting products
• Pay-as-you-go solar
• Rural electrification
• Marine solar installations

Headquarters

HQ city

Paynesville

HQ country

Liberia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Solar Product Sales: LEN sells off-grid solar units and services to generate sufficient revenue while managing costs so even the poorest Liberians have access to basic electric power and light. They operate like a for-profit enterprise to achieve sustainability and reach scale.
2. Grant-Funded Projects: LEN receives grants from organizations such as USADF ($100,000-$150,000 for Firestone project) and Elmo Foundation for specific installations including orphanages, hospitals, and mission stations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

LEN distributes and installs off-grid solar power systems across Liberia, ranging from household lighting kits (WoW Solar 60) to multi-kilowatt facility installations for hospitals and schools. The organization sells solar hardware directly through its Paynesville retail showroom and through pay-as-you-go installment partnerships with NGOs and unions, and provides design and installation services for grant-funded community and institutional projects. It also engineers customized marine solar systems for artisanal fishing boats.

Product overview

Liberian Energy Network (LEN) is a social business enterprise offering a portfolio of off-grid solar power solutions for rural and peri-urban Liberians. The core offerings include the WoW Solar 60 Lighting System (manufactured by Amped Innovation PBC), customized marine solar power systems for fishing boats, and various-capacity off-grid solar installations (1 KW to 6 kW) for healthcare facilities, schools, orphanages, and community buildings. LEN provides complete solar solutions including design, installation, and ongoing maintenance support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WoW Solar 60 Lighting System A solar lighting system manufactured by Amped Innovation PBC that supports three lights and a mobile phone charger, with a runtime of 6 hours on bright setting and 15 hours on dim setting per solar charge. Deployed at rural homes, mission stations, and community facilities.
• Solar Power Systems for Fishing Boats Solar power systems customized by LEN's engineering staff for the marine environment and installed on artisanal fishing boats to improve productivity, safety, and visibility during nighttime fishing operations.
• Gridless Core Solar Powered System (1 KW) A 1 KW off-grid solar system installed at healthcare facilities to provide continuous uninterrupted power for operating theaters, lighting, and critical life support equipment.
• 6 Kilowatt Off-Grid Solar System A 6 kilowatt off-grid solar system installed at hospitals to meet critical power needs day or night, particularly for maternal, child birth, and emergency cases, serving facilities such as Kolahun Hospital that cover 100,000 people across Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea.
• Off-Grid Solar Power System Installations for Community Facilities Custom design and installation of off-grid solar power systems for orphanages, schools, and community facilities in rural and peri-urban areas of Liberia beyond the reach of the national grid, delivered as grant-funded enterprise projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70,000 Liberians gained access to power and light through off-grid solar
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Save The ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLEN was retained by Save the Children to evaluate and restore a failed solar system at one of their schools in Buchanan, Liberia
• US Peace CorpsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to support off-grid solar initiatives in Liberia
• Mercy Corps LiberiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLEN entered MOU with Mercy Corps to provide off-grid solar lighting and power using pay-as-you-go and mobile money technologies, implementing a pilot expanding access for rural Liberians
• Firestone Agricultural Workers' Union of Liberia (FAWUL)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership to distribute off-grid connections to rubber tappers living in scattered camps across the Firestone plantation using FAWUL payroll check-off plan
• One Million Lights Foundation & Servant Leadership ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide solar lights to school children in Gbopolu County, with goal of providing 6,000 lights to students and teachers
• Liberian Ministry of Health - Ebola ResponseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting off-grid solar power for healthcare facilities during and after Ebola crisis
• Sandia National LaboratoriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected by Sandia's International Biological and Chemical Thread Reduction Program to provide solar LED area security lighting for LIBR facility

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• d.light: Global off-grid solar distributor with deep African footprint. Comparable to LEN on affordable solar lanterns and home systems distributed via PAYGO and partner channels to off-grid consumers.
• Zola Electric: Tanzania-rooted off-grid solar PAYGO provider serving African consumers. Comparable on PAYGO solar distribution and rural off-grid energy access model.
• Fenix International (Engie Energy Access): Originally Uganda-based PAYGO solar company, now part of Engie Energy Access. Direct comparable on PAYGO solar home systems distributed to rural African consumers via mobile money.
• SolarAid: International nonprofit distributing solar lights across Africa to combat energy poverty. Comparable on mission-driven model and solar light distribution to rural communities, similar to LEN's nonprofit arm.
• Greenlight Planet (Sun King): Off-grid solar PAYGO company distributing Sun King-branded lanterns and home systems across Africa and Asia. Comparable on last-mile distribution of affordable solar lighting to off-grid households.
• M-KOPA: Kenya-based pioneer of pay-as-you-go off-grid solar home systems serving base-of-pyramid customers across East Africa. Most directly comparable to LEN on product (solar home lighting/phone charging systems), customer (off-grid low-income households), and PAYGO business model.
• Azuri Technologies: Pay-as-you-go solar home system provider operating across East and West Africa. Comparable on PAYGO distribution model for off-grid solar products targeting rural consumers.
• BBOXX: UK-headquartered PAYGO solar provider operating across East and West Africa. Direct comparable on PAYGO distribution, mobile money integration, and multi-country off-grid solar expansion strategy.

Regional players

• PowerGen Renewable Energy: East Africa-focused renewable energy company (mini-grids and off-grid solar). Comparable on off-grid renewable energy distribution model, though focused on East Africa rather than Liberia/West Africa.

Emerging players

• BioLite: US/Kenya-headquartered off-grid energy company selling solar lighting and clean cookstoves in emerging markets. Comparable on affordable solar lighting products for off-grid African consumers, though more product-oriented than PAYGO.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/liberian-energy-network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Liberian Energy Network