Drawing inspiration from BioLite Energy
BioLite CampStove burns biomass to create electricity. Source here.
BioLite Energy has inspired me as a Product Manager on every level.
I hope I have the pleasure of introducing you to one of the best product companies I have ever come across. I have been Kickstarting and buying up almost every product this company makes for years.
BioLite Energy is headquartered in Brooklyn, NY but I found them while researching and accumulating innovative outdoor gear to fill my insatiable backpacking and camping appetite. I had already purchased a few of their early USB-rechargeable flashlight/lanterns and immediately jumped on their reimagined BaseLantern on Kickstarter not only because it offered so many cool features (Bluetooth control from smartphone - who does that?) but because I was eager to power my BioLite camp lights from this giant USB battery source.
But it wasn’t until I learned about (and bought of course) the BioLite CampStove that I really dialed into what they were trying to do - and what they are still doing!
For me and my personal camping needs, the CampStove is ingenious. Small and light enough to justify packing on solo backcountry trips, the CampStove is one of those rare multi-purpose devices that we backpackers yearn for to save space/weight. I could burn leaves and twigs to boil water but the CampStove uses the heat to create electricity (the primary use of power is to capture the fire’s smoke to make an even more productive heating system - read all about the CampStove on BioLite’s site). I proved it works in my own campsites by plugging my phone into the handy USB port on the stove while cooking my meals!
But BioLite is aiming much higher and after reading their mission , I was humbled by what I thought was just cool backcountry innovation. Please take a minute to go read this - you will thank me.
The founders of BioLite had been learning about and have been directly addressing a massive global problem more broadly referred to as Energy Poverty. In extremely rural areas of the world, individual households and indeed entire villages and small towns do not have access to electricity or any good source of energy really. Some have been burning dirty kerosene, which is a viable option for cooking or heating but is known to negatively impact the health of these families while simultaneously contributing to the larger greenhouse gas emissions problem. In some cases, these households turn to burning biomass like wood or even garbage instead which while potentially cheaper, is not much better for personal health or the health of the planet.
With their HomeStove - a bigger version of my glorious CampStove, BioLite has realized its bigger vision. It’s not just that fancy hikers like me can charge our cell phones in the back country (how privileged) - its about bringing electricity to energy-poor villages and revolutionizing how people lead their everyday lives.
“BioLite operates using a unique business model called Parallel Innovation: our team incubates core energy technologies and then turns them into products unique to our outdoor and emerging markets customers. Revenues from our outdoor markets are reinvested in building a commercially sustainable business that can bring safe, affordable energy to families living in energy poverty across India and Africa.”
-from BioLite’s Mission page.
Their Parallel Innovation story deserves its own separate story and thankfully, the BioLite team has done that. I encourage you to visit their site - and support them in any way you can!
Imagine being offered a cleaner cooking alternative that also provides its own source(s) of light and has spare FREE electricity to power your devices - it is a truly incredible vision!
BioLite HomeStove shown here powering USB light source and mobile phone. Source here.
As a Product Manager, I am positively overwhelmed with the beauty of their vision as well as their execution. And it doesn’t stop with the Stoves.
BioLite has an “energy everywhere (tm)” goal which now includes an impressive solar product line too. As a backpacker, I’m sold on the portable 5w and 10w solar panels that can trickle charge my devices when I’m off the grid. But I recently bought their SolarHome 620 product to gain a better appreciation for how you could light your home with a simple solar setup. More on that in later posts but when you look at the real application of available and innovative technology, it has to inspire you.
I will continue to follow their progress and can dream of a future for myself where I can envision, build and deliver solutions like BioLite has to help individuals and the world move to cleaner and more renewable energy.