A small startup company Off Grid Electric is aiming to transform the solar market in Africa, where three out of four households are living without electricity, and make energy affordable in the power hungry continent.

Black outs are frequent in Africa, and even people with access to power are often charged 5-10 times the rate of U.S. average.

Off Grid Electric aims to tackle Africa's energy shortage issue with solar power systems and LED lights. (All photos courtesy of Off Grid Electric)

Off Grid Electric aims to end the severe power shortage situation in communities including Tanzania and Rwanda with its off-grid solar storage solutions and LED lights, reported Clean Technia.

The company has signed a partnership deal with the former Tanzania President Jakaya Kilwete, under the Million Solar Homes initiative, which aims to supply 1 million households in the country with solar energy by 2017. Kilwete aimed to create universal solar power access by 2030.

An African mother holding her child under a solar powered lamp.

The company currently employs 800 Tanzania employees, and installed 10,000 of its solar power systems per month. Users can use the Off-Grid payment system which allows consumers with mobile phones to make installment payments, using M-Pesa and other services.

As solar systems and LED prices are driven down on the market, it has made these systems more affordable to homes and businesses in Africa.

According to a company blog entry, Off Grid Electric is currently lighting up the lives of over 50,000 people per month, and projects by 2020 millions of people across the Africa continent will gain access to solar energy.