Bob Freling
banner
bobfreling.bsky.social
Bob Freling
@bobfreling.bsky.social
Executive Director, Solar Electric Light Fund (@solarfund.bsky.social). Social entrepreneur focused on using solar energy to end global poverty. #SDG7
This month, we celebrate 35 years of solar impact. ⚡

Help @solarfund.bsky.social power what’s next. Give $100+ by Nov. 4 to get a limited-edition 35th anniversary t-shirt!

Give now: secure.qgiv.com/for/35thanni...

#solar #energy #climate #sdg7
October 31, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Honored to join KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology) for World Food Day to discuss how solar energy can power a more food-secure future.

We can end hunger in our lifetime. It starts with energy.

#sdg2 #sdg7 #foodsecurity #cleanenergy
October 23, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Can #CleanEnergy end poverty? That's the question I'll explore at Solar & Storage Live this Sunday in Riyadh.

I look forward to connecting with the #solar community!
October 12, 2025 at 10:52 AM
This month, @solarfund.bsky.social turns 35! For three and a half decades, we've worked to bring #CleanEnergy to those who need it most.

Today, we renew our commitment to a sustainable, healthy, thriving world—powered by the sun. ☀️ #sdg7

Watch our story: youtu.be/y3DLoxl56bg?...
35 Years of Impact
YouTube video by Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF)
youtu.be
October 8, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Dr. Jane Goodall showed the world that science and compassion belong together.

Grateful to have met her—and to have partnered with the Jane Goodall Institute to bring solar power to Gombe. May her legacy guide us forward.

#JaneGoodall #conservation #solarpower #sdg7
October 2, 2025 at 4:55 PM
I had a wonderful time joining The Carbonauts at their DC event and sharing how clean energy can help us protect the planet AND power a more just, prosperous future.

Thanks to everyone who came out. Onward! 🌞

#energy #energytransition #cleanenergy #greentech
September 23, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Exciting news: @solarfund.bsky.social just broke ground on a new solar-powered water system in Uganda!

This project will provide #CleanWater to hundreds of people—with improvements to local health, safety, and gender equality.

Learn more: www.self.org/project-upda...

#sdg6 #sdg7 #cleanenergy
Solar-Powered Water Systems in Rural Uganda | Solar Electric Light Fund
SELF has broken ground on a new solar-powered water system in rural Uganda. Learn how solar water pumping is delivering clean water and safer nights in Bukyerimba.
www.self.org
September 16, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Lots going on at @solarfund.bsky.social! Subscribe to our newsletter, and don't miss it: lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/XwsLDMM/s...
In this month's newsletter:
🌟 The SDGs turn 10. How we're pushing forward
🌟 SELF's latest podcast interview
🌟 Supporting our partners

Read it here: conta.cc/4mJORBL
Subscribe: lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/XwsLDMM/s...

#solarenergy #renewables #sdg7 #climatejustice
September 5, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Reposted by Bob Freling
🌍 Nigeria has the world’s largest population of people living without electricity.

Despite political promises, millions remain in the dark. Families are turning to solar—but affordability remains a barrier.

🎧 Listen on @npr.org: www.npr.org/2025/08/06/n...

#energy #poverty #sdg7 #solar
Nigeria’s Chronic Electricity Problems : State of the World from NPR
In Africa’s most populous country more than a third of residents have no access to electricity. Even those connected to the nation’s crumbling power grid cannot rely on it. And the situation isn’t i...
www.npr.org
August 26, 2025 at 4:20 PM
What does it mean to live without #electricity? And what does it take to change that?

I joined the @utopiaisnow.bsky.social podcast to talk about #energy poverty, #solar solutions, and the surprising ways in which energy access transforms lives.

Give it a listen: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UAY...
Power is Progress | The Fight for Global Energy Access | Bob Freling
YouTube video by Utopia Is Now
www.youtube.com
July 23, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Reposted by Bob Freling
🌍 What is #EnergyPoverty, and why does it still impact so many people today?

SELF’s @bobfreling.bsky.social joined the @utopiaisnow.bsky.social podcast to unpack the global #energy gap & explore how solutions like #SolarPower are changing lives.

🎧 Listen now: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UAY...
Power is Progress | The Fight for Global Energy Access | Bob Freling
YouTube video by Utopia Is Now
www.youtube.com
July 22, 2025 at 5:02 PM
What do solar panels have to do with clean water, thriving farms, and kids staying in school?

A lot, actually!

@solarfund.bsky.social's 2024 Annual Report is out now—full of real stories that turn energy into impact.

➡️ Take a look: indd.adobe.com/view/d96fb64...

#sdg7 #energysky #climate
July 11, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Reposted by Bob Freling
🌞 SELF’s 2024 Annual Report is live!

From the sunlit fields of Benin to the vast plains of the Maasai Mara, last year, SELF worked to expand access to #SolarPower — lifting livelihoods and fighting #ClimateChange.

👉 Discover the change we've made together: indd.adobe.com/view/d96fb64...
July 10, 2025 at 4:06 PM
The clean #EnergyTransition can’t just swap fuels—it has to shift power.

My recent article in @resilience.org makes the case for decentralization, climate reparations, and energy justice. 🌍⚡ #sdg7

Read it here: www.resilience.org/stories/2025...
The Great Power Shift: Decentralization, Reparations, and the Fight for Energy Justice
True resilience isn’t about making the grid bigger. It’s about making systems smarter, accessible, and locally adaptable.
www.resilience.org
June 24, 2025 at 10:15 PM
What does climate justice look like? In South Texas, it looks like a mom paying $42 for power instead of $400.

Solar energy is fostering greater resilience, equity, and opportunity on the border. Learn more & hear from those impacted: www.self.org/project-upda...

#climate #solar #energy #sdg7
Solar Energy for Low-Income Families: Beating the Heat on the Border - Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF)
See how solar energy is changing lives for low-income families in Texas—cutting electricity bills, boosting resilience, and fighting climate change.
www.self.org
June 12, 2025 at 9:13 PM
I'm excited to join #GreenTechFestival in Berlin this week for a powerhouse panel on “Food for Thought: Will Tech Solve Our Growing Food Crisis?”

I look forward to exploring meaningful innovations and solutions for a food-secure future! 🥬

#GreenTechFestival2025 #GTF2025 #GreenTech
May 20, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Everyone should have access to #CleanWater.

@solarfund.bsky.social is working is build a new solar-powered water station in rural Uganda. This project will change thousands of lives, but we need your support to make it happen.

💧 Give now: secure.qgiv.com/for/ugandawa...

#CleanEnergy #SDG6 #SDG7
May 16, 2025 at 7:17 PM
It was an honor to speak at the SLINT Tech Expo on a panel about energy access in Africa—exploring trends, challenges, and the solutions driving impact.

Grateful to share @solarfund.bsky.social ’s work and join others advancing clean energy for all. ☀️

#energysky #energytransition #africa
May 12, 2025 at 8:47 PM
🌍⚡ @solarfund.bsky.social's new short film takes you behind-the-scenes of the "Law Box," a solar-powered legal aid center that is changing lives in Uganda.

Meet the people impacted by this initiative: youtu.be/kBpd7Vb_zqg?...

#sdg7 #sdg16 #energy #justice
Powering Legal Aid in Rural Uganda
YouTube video by Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF)
youtu.be
April 30, 2025 at 8:40 PM
This Earth Day, I’m inspired by the communities turning sunlight into resilience, health, and hope. #OurPowerOurPlanet isn’t just a theme—it’s the future we’re building together. #EarthDay2025
Everyday, communities around the world are turning to solar—building resilience & protecting our shared future.

On this #EarthDay we honor the communities we serve and this precious planet we share.

📸: Children gather for a photo at a SELF project site in Indigenous Arhuaco territory, Colombia
April 22, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Energy is a human right—and #solar microgrids are one of the most powerful ways we can deliver it.

But how do these #microgrids actually work? And where is the technology headed next?

Get your questions answered in @solarfund.bsky.social's latest blog: www.self.org/articles/com...
Community Solar Microgrids: A Sustainable Solution for Energy Access  - Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF)
Discover how community solar microgrids expand energy access, boost resilience, and power sustainable development in underserved communities.
www.self.org
April 18, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Happy #WorldHealthDay!

From vaccine storage to whole-clinic electrification, learn how #SolarEnergy is powering better healthcare for rural people: www.self.org/health/
April 7, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Reposted by Bob Freling
(1/3) Last year, SELF renovated four of its Solar Market Gardens (SMGs) in Benin.

These gardens leverage #SolarPower and drip irrigation to improve #FoodSecurity in rural regions. 🌱
March 27, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Solar installations in #Africa are projected to grow by 42% in 2025! 📈

#Solar is cleaner, cheaper & more reliable, yet steep capital costs in Africa have held the industry back.

Through investment & partnership, we can create a more inclusive clean #EnergyTransition: tinyurl.com/49hwxznm
March 20, 2025 at 5:28 PM
@solarfund.bsky.social launched a new website last week!

One of my favorite sections explores how solar is powering progress on the #SDGs. Check it out: www.self.org/un-sustainab...

#energysky #sdg7 #renewables #greensky
UN Sustainable Development Goals - Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF)
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a set of 17 environmental and humanitarian priorities to be achieved by 2030. The SDGs offer a
www.self.org
March 4, 2025 at 8:45 PM