20.03.2023
The OFF-GRID Sale is held every year at the OFF-GRID Expo + Conference (OEC) in cooperation with Phaesun GmbH: exhibitors donate products that are then sold and the proceeds donated to a non-profit organization. 1,500 euros were collected at the OEC 2022, which will benefit the KarEn e. V. association.
The OEC team at Messe Augsburg was as delighted as Phaesun GmbH - Phaesun not only organizes the OFF-GRID sale on site at the OEC every year, but also has a long history with the association: “We have been working closely on the rural electrification projects set up by KarEn for many years and are astonished at the total commitment of all the KarEn members. The use of electricity has made a significant improvement to the living standards of many people in Cuba over the years. We wish KarEn success in the future and hope they gain new young members who will continue to pursue this important work with the same enthusiasm,” says Tobias Zwirner of Phaesun GmbH.
“Business and social impact are closely connected in the off-grid sector,” explains Nadja Katnani, project manager of the OEC team. “We therefore have a special commitment to hold the off-grid sale every year with our OEC exhibitor community and our partner Phaesun and to donate the proceeds to a good cause. So, with the OEC, we not only provide a platform for the industry, but can also make a small contribution to realize the aims of the OEC: a self-sufficient power supply in areas that urgently need it.”
On behalf of the board of KarEn e. V., Gerda Daenecke and Volker Wirth extend warm thanks to the OEC team, Phaesun GmbH and the generous donors and highlight the importance of these cooperations and donations: “A big thank you for your support from the beneficiaries, the poor people in some inaccessible mountain regions on the island of Cuba! Even the best project, as in our case for the photovoltaic electrification of isolated houses of poor coffee farmers in the mountains of the two mountain ranges Sierra de los Organos and Sierra del Rosario in the west of the Cuban province of Artemisa, would remain a dream or a well-intentioned idea if the association didn’t have the support of a company that was dedicated to the expert preparation of such projects from the material and technical aspect, with the procurement of efficient panels, charge controllers, long-life batteries and inverters and the appropriate cables up to simple clips, screws and nails.”
The date for the next OFF-GRID Expo + Conference has already been set and the OEC will be held in Augsburg again from December 7 to 8, 2023.
KarEn e. V. was founded in May 1992 and is a non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Berlin and a registered non-profit association dedicated to making a contribution to the energy transition, particularly in Cuba and also in other countries in the Caribbean and South America. The association aims to help reduce dependence on oil imports by the maximum use of solar, wind, hydropower and biomass as an energy supply. KarEn basically relies on local labor and resources and co-finances the use of photovoltaics, wind power, solar thermal power and hydropower in smaller plants, and education and training in these areas.
Phaesun is Europe's most innovative specialist wholesaler for off-grid components and systems based on renewable energies, and provides products from all the renowned manufacturers in this sector. The main applications of Phaesun solutions are off-grid solar systems for rural electrification, solar-powered back-up systems for unstable power grids, solar cooling systems for various applications, solar-powered water pumping systems for drinking water production and field irrigation and an off-grid power supply for industrial applications. The full Phaesun product portfolio is sold through a worldwide network of partners and distributors.
The OFF-GRID Expo + Conference is the largest international conference exhibition in Europe dedicated to the off-grid sector and is aimed at potential customers and operators in self-sufficient power and water supply and standalone solutions. The high-profile, English-language trade fair congress and exhibition is dedicated to all aspects of the off-grid solar, wind and hydropower systems and self-sufficient power supply that are particularly important in rural areas and development aid. The unique mix of trade fair, conference and networking offers the off-grid community an effective platform to initiate business and to share knowledge. The official conference partner for the event is the Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE). Additional partners include Phaesun, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO ITPO Germany) and the German-African Business Association.