It really wasn’t all that long ago that if you didn’t get to the bank before 5pm on a Friday in Australia; you might find yourself cashless for the entire weekend. Automated Teller Machines changed that very quickly here and in other parts of the world.
In many rural and semi-urban markets in developing countries though, ATM’s are yet to become commonplace; due in part to unreliable electricity infrastructure. In India, ATM availability is only around 0.04 per 1000 people. Where ATMs are available, they often rely on fossil fuel guzzling generators for supplying backup power during frequent electricity supply interruptions.
The solar powered Vortex Gramateller ATM is helping to change this. During daylight hours, solar panels charge deep cycle batteries used to power the ATM. Assuming 5 hours of sunlight, enough electricity can be generated and stored for 12 hours of operation.
Vortex also offers a grid connected hybrid option where mains power can be used to charge the battery; ready for the regular blackouts that occur in some parts of India.
An important difference between the Vortex Gramateller ATM and standard units is its low power consumption - 90% less than average - which makes it a suitable candidate for utilising solar power.
Able to operate in ambient temperatures of 50 degrees Celsius, Gramateller ATM’s use less than 100 watts of power and do not require air conditioning. According to the company, compared to conventional ATM installations, Vortex’s solar-powered Gramateller Duo ATMs reduce carbon dioxide emissions by at least 18,500 kg per year.
Gramateller Duo ATMs also include biometric security features.
In March last year, the State Bank of India ordered 400 solar ATM units for installation in semi-urban and rural India and another 80 have been ordered since then by various financial institutions.
Vortex was selected as one of the “10 Start-Ups That Will Change Your Life” by TIME magazine in 2010.
