Solar Way, the designer and manufacturer of solar powered products for charging and lighting, seeks global partners for its Solar Powered Charging Station (SPCS).

Speaking at the Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona, Solar Way CEO, Marco Signorini, said in order to bring the SCPS to the largest possible customer base, the company was seeking to partner with mobile operators – particularly those with millions of customers off-grid.

“We also seek to partner with retailers and other consumer outlets which have large footprints across Africa and other emerging markets,” Signorini said.

The Innovative African solar company will seek to partner with entrepreneurs wishing to take the SPCS into communities to provide a cell phone charging service, he said.

The SPCS provides a charging facility for multiple cell phones which can be installed for use in retail facilities such as shops and post offices or at cell phone company concessions.

The SCPS provides a facility to charge cell phones simultaneously. It offers a “phone locker” in which to deposit a phone securely while it charges.

The SCPS will charge the customer’s cell phone for a small fee, depending on the amount of time the phone takes to charge.

In a statement, Solar Way said for those living without access to grid power, the SPCS would be a welcome facility.

Also at the Congress, Solar Way also announced the launch of the Power Stix, a solar powered candle which combines cheap, clean and safe lighting with the facility to charge a cell phone.

According to Solar Way, the Power Stix is significantly cheaper, costing less than $20. The average African family living off-grid spends $12 every month on candles.

Signorini said the Power Stix was designed to support the widespread adoption of sustainable solar powered technologies for charging and lighting.

“Many of our customers have been using candles for lighting in their homes for generations and we believe the Power Stix provides an affordable alternative which will really support the transition to a cleaner, safer solar solution,” Signorini said.