Agsol Solar-Powered Mill

Target SDGs

Target Users (Target Impact Group)

Household, Community, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, NGOs

Distributors / Implementing Organizations

This product is distributed by the manufacturer.

Competitive Landscape

Direct competitors include Maya Pedal Bicycle Mill, Solar Milling Small-Scale System, and Multi-Crop Ewing Grinder.

Regions

East Africa

Countries

Kenya

Manufacturing/Building Method

This product is mass produced in China.

Intellectural Property Type

Trademark

User Provision Model

Users can obtain the product/service directly from the manufacturer or through its distributors, via pay-as-you-go (PAYG) digital financing.

Distributions to Date Status

As of 2020, 788 units have been distributed in the Pacific region.

Design Specifications

Agsol's Solar-Powered Mills are solar-powered agricultural machines, available in two variants: the Hammer Mill for milling flours, and the Rice Mill for milling grains, which differ in milling head size, screens, and exit gates. The dimensions are 670 x 360 x 700 mm for the Hammer Mill, and 480 x 290 x 925 mm for the Rice Mill. Both weigh around 40-45 kg. The product is offered with brushless DC and AC motor options and has a motor rating of 1.3-1.8 kW and for a 48V DC system, and 2.2 kW for an AC 1-phase or 3-phase system. The Hammer Mill has an efficiency of 39-50 kg/kWh and a production rate of 50-85 kg/hr based on maize milling with a 1 mm screen; production for cassava is doubled and millet is tripled. The Rice Mill has an efficiency of 90-115 kg/kWh and a production rate of 135-160 kg/hr.

Product Schematics

Technical Support

Provided by the manufacturer.

Replacement Components

Unknown

Lifecycle

5-10 years

Manufacturer Specified Performance Parameters

Designer specified performance targets include: zero fuel costs, low maintenance, long machinery life, and easy to operate.

Vetted Performance Status

Testing was performed by the manufacturer to validate Agsol mill performance. Testing was performed on 1-phase to 3-phase systems and BLDC motors, and parameters of energy intensity, throughput, and noise levels were measured. The testing was conducted through a collaboration with Agsol and CLASP, although no independent third-party testing has been completed.

Safety

Potential hazards related to the operation of this product include sharp and fast cutting tools.

Complementary Technical Systems

The manufacturer also sells maize threshers and chaff cutters that can process cobs,  fodder grass, maize stalks, and agricultural straws.

Academic Research and References

Compliance with regulations

None

Other Information

• A video released by Agsol illustrates the process of operating the Hammer Mill.
• Target users include off-grid individuals, businesses, and organizations in farming, who are interested in implementing solar power.
• Testing performed by the manufacturer validating the Agsol Mill performance.
• Agsol Mill specifications and catalogue PDF file
• Testing was performed by a research collaboration between CLASP and the manufacturer.