Empowering Renewable Energy, Bright Rural India

As India’s growth engine chugs on, rural India still is the heart of the country, accounting for around 69 percent of the total population. While the overall economy is growing at the rate of seven percent, rural India still lags behind.

The absence of amenities like electricity, potable water and sanitation are a few of the major factors impeding rural productivity and the subsequent economic growth.

Nearly 300 million people living in rural India are still using primitive sources of energy like kerosene and wood-fired stoves, which expose them to life-threatening diseases and exacerbate environmental problems.

Solar power, a renewable and clean source of energy, could fuel rural India’s growth. With a drastic drop in the capital costs and efficiency improvements, solar energy is now a viable alternative for the power-starved individual households and small businesses of rural India.

Where irregular power supply hampers productivity, solar energy could help bridge the infrastructure gaps and improve the social, economic and health indicators. It has potential in the rural and remote sectors since the economics involved in installing the off-grid system caters to the energy needs of the community. It is significantly less expensive than setting up a conventional power distribution system.