Greek mechanical engineer Yannis Sahsamanoglou, 39, constructed the first solar elevator in the world. The patent is already selling abroad by dozens, like in Europe, Singapore, Egypt, India and China. The market demand rate is currently higher than the production rate of the Sahsamanoglou’s small family business Mezolift, based at the town of Kilkis, which for the moment covers the needs of local customers in Greece and Cyprus.

Sahsamanoglou came up with the construction idea motivated by his young daughter, who when watching a television documentary on PV systems asked her father whether an elevator could be solar powered and now the answer is yes!

The solar elevator is a device independent of power networks, as it functions with solar-charged batteries with 3-day lifetime, while on bad weather conditions the elevator’s batteries are connectable to any power network. Accordingly, the risk of passengers being cooped up in the elevator is null and that’s the strong unique selling proposition of the revolutionary device compared to the conventional elevators category products.

The solar elevator is ideal for medium-sized residences, small houses and ‘70s apartment buildings with no architectural elevator infrastructure. Currently, Yannis Sahsamanoglou sells 4-person solar-powered elevators of conventional lifting speed.

The savings percentage in power consumption raise up to 80% and the buying cost of a solar elevator is equivalent to the cost of a conventional elevator, while efforts are been made to fund Greek and Cypriot citizens for buying and installing solar elevators.

The solar elevator is labeled EU Green Product and was chosen to represent Greece in the 2012 European Campaign on Climate Change.