The technological advances applied to the most recent release of the popular Consol Solar Jar® make it the most innovative and powerful Consol Solar Jar® to date. The award-winning design of the generation 6 Consol Solar Jar® combines the timeless Consol classic preserve jar with advanced solar technology to produce light in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. Every hour of sunshine can be transformed into a sustainable hour of light, making it the most reasonable and accessible consumer solar light available to the African market.
The Consol Solar Jar® is proudly handmade in South Africa in line with Fair Trade principles, providing employment and offering skills to previously unemployed individuals. More than that, it’s kind to the environment in the way it is produced too, with great care being taken to minimise CO2 emissions and the responsible sourcing of raw materials.
One of the key technological advances of the new Consol Solar Jar® is the Solar Module which transforms the Consol Solar Jar® into a lantern but can also be used on its own as a versatile, powerful pocket-sized solar-powered light that you can carry anywhere. The Solar Module housing is made from impact-resistant material and is weather resistant, making it more durable.
Other improvements on the upgraded model include:
Double the amount of shine time to more than 24 hours
Adjustable brightness (lowest 5 lumen, highest 100 lumen)
Battery light indicator
USB backup charging — 10 minutes of USB charging will give you up to 10 hours of light and a full charge takes 2.5 hours
Colour-coded battery light indicator to easily monitor power levels
Safety light mode
Weather resistant
Besides being environmentally friendly, the Consol Solar Jar® also has social benefits. It is a safe source of lighting that reduces the risk of fire associated with paraffin or gas lamps or candles, and it enables learning in remote areas where electricity is not readily available.
“Ardagh Glass Packaging is committed to making a positive impact in South Africa and sustainability is a core focus for our business,” says Paul Curnow, Chief Executive Officer Ardagh Glass Packaging-Africa. “We expect our suppliers to demonstrate similar principles, and this is evident in the way Sonnenglas operates, which gives us confidence in the continued longevity of the beloved Consol Solar Jar®.”
Excitingly, and in line with the company’s commitment to sustainability, consumers will be offered an “upgrade and repurpose” option, which means that they will be able to return their previous Consol solar module to buy the latest generation 6 module (only) at a discounted price. The returned modules will be repaired and used for various social projects for communities in need of light. If the modules cannot be repaired, then they will be responsibly recycled or disposed of.
