Okra Solar

Okra Solar is an Australian company founded in 2016 that designs mesh-grid technology for electrifying off-grid rural communities in developing countries. The company addresses the high cost and slow rollout of conventional mini-grids by connecting individual homes into a decentralized, self-healing power network instead of building centralized generation and long distribution lines.

The core hardware unit, called the Pod, is installed at each household and links neighboring homes through low-voltage DC cabling strung between rooftops, sharing solar and battery capacity across the network. The accompanying Okra Harvest software platform lets energy developers remotely plan mesh-grid layouts, monitor performance, and manage mobile-money billing; customers are energy access companies and mini-grid developers operating in Cambodia, the Philippines, Haiti, and Nigeria.

1. Pod controller: A 1.2kW smart controller installed per household manages power sharing, storage, and remote monitoring.

2. Mesh cabling: Low-voltage DC lines connect rooftops directly, removing the need for utility poles.

3. Okra Harvest: Cloud software for network planning, performance monitoring, and mobile-money billing.

4. Rapid deployment: Mesh-grids can be installed and expanded incrementally as new households join.

5. Cost reduction: Distribution costs are cut by up to 90% compared with conventional mini-grids.

6. Multi-country footprint: Live deployments across Cambodia, the Philippines, Haiti, and Nigeria.