The leading renewable energy mini-grid effort in India is showing promising initial results. The Rockefeller Foundation’s USD 75 million Smart Power for Rural Development (SPRD) initiative aims to catalyze economic development by accelerating access to electricity in 1,000 villages in India through promoting a robust and viable mini-grid sector. The Foundation established a wholly-own subsidiary, Smart Power India, to provide support services to energy service companies (ESCOs) to establish mini-grid projects in India. The initiative expects to have 100 plants up and running by end of this month, producing 3 MW of power. As of April, the program had 7,600 customers, with over 90% on-time collection efficiency.The leading renewable energy mini-grid effort in India is showing promising initial results. …India through promoting a robust and viable mini-grid sector… https://www.powerforall.org/countries/india/indias-leading-mini-grid-program-shows-momentum
With access to affordable, long-term finance still a challenge in India for last-mile energy infrastructure, creative solutions are seeing the light of day, including crowdfunding …India for last-mile energy infrastructure, creative solutions are seeing the light of day, including crowdfunding German debt crowdfunding platform bettervest started by backing domestic renewable energy projects, but since 2015 has also focused on expansion into Sub-Saharan Africa and now India… https://www.powerforall.org/news-media/articles/crowdfunding-tapped-new-finance-path-rural-electrification-india
A new report from World Resources Institute (WRI) explores India’s opportunity to be a role model for job creation in developing countries, especially for women, and create lucrative alternatives to subsistence farming through energy access …India’s opportunity to be a role model for job creation in developing countries, especially for women, and create lucrative alternatives to subsistence farming through energy access Ten years ago, Sashiram was a job-seeker with a limited education and uncertain employment prospects… https://www.powerforall.org/insights/impact/indias-renewable-energy-push-win-win-job-creation-and-electricity-access
India’s market for solar pumps for irrigation and drinking water was virtually non-existent in 2011, when Claro Energy was founded. But recent attention from federal and state governments, including subsidies, has created a $700 million annual market that is set to expand rapidly.India’s market for solar pumps for irrigation and drinking water was virtually non-existent in 2011, when Claro Energy was founded… https://www.powerforall.org/news-media/articles/scaling-solar-irrigation-india-and-africa
Arianna Tozzi, an India-based researcher, explains how community involvement can provide a sense of empowerment and lead to long-term sustainability of solar mini-grids …India-based researcher, explains how community involvement can provide a sense of empowerment and lead to long-term sustainability of solar mini-grids In India, 93% of urban households use electricity as the main source of lighting, compared with 55% in rural areas… https://www.powerforall.org/news-media/articles/why-active-community-ownership-key-rural-electricity-access-india
Download the Powering Jobs Census 2019: Focus on India, to understand the growing employment opportunity within the decentralized renewable energy (DRE) sector, and within the communities gaining access to electricity for the first time. In India, direct, formal DRE jobs are expected to double to by 2022-23. https://www.powerforall.org/resources/reports/powering-jobs-census-2019-focus-india
Power for All organized a national action roundtable on powering India's rural health clinics and a media workshop in Uganda on agriculture/energy, supported the launch of AMDA's first minigrid industry benchmark report, and hosted two Energy Catalyst peer-to-peer learning sessions. Also, learn about new team members and our participation in upcoming events, including Africa Energy Forum 2020. https://www.powerforall.org/news-media/campaign-updates/campaign-update-september-2020
The current COVID-19 crisis has brought into sharp relief the inadequacy of Africa and India’s healthcare infrastructure—including access to energy—especially in the case of the rural poor. WHO notes that 70 percent of medical devices cannot be used in developing countries due to unreliable power supply. https://www.powerforall.org/insights/impact/energy-equity-right-healthcare
India is the world’s largest single market for providing energy access, with 304 million people or 43 million households officially still unelectrified (depending on the data source). The government has targeted 2022 for 24x7 nationwide electrification. The problem is massive, but so is the opportunity for decentralized renewable energy (DRE). https://www.powerforall.org/resources/infographics/infographic-india-48-billion-annual-energy-access-opportunity
As one the world’s leading mini-grid markets, India can scale the role of private rural utilities to help meet domestic and international energy access challenges. In the first of two fact sheets, we look at the current state of the Indian mini-grid sector and the challenges it faces. https://www.powerforall.org/resources/fact-sheets-research-summaries/fact-sheet-mini-grids-india