Solar Power Can Convert India’s Energy Poverty to Energy Prosperity

Over a period of one year, Samuday has invested close to Rs 30 crore towards establishing 14 solar mini grids, supplying power to over 900 households in 15 villages. It has also committed another Rs 3 crore to be spent every year over the next five years towards maintaining these grids.

In a bid to identify ways to effectively use solar power especially in rural India, HCL Foundation hosted a roundtable discussion at the India International Center.

HCL Foundation’s ambitious CSR project, Samuday which is currently working in three blocks of Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh – Kachhauna, Behendar and Kothawan -- aims to develop model villages by improving six parameters including infrastructure, agriculture practices, livelihood, WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene), health, and education.

The Solar Electrification program, a major initiative undertaken by Samuday aims to ensure non-disruptive supply of electricity in underserved villages, especially in health centers and schools.

Over a period of one year, Samuday has invested close to Rs 30 crore towards establishing 14 solar mini grids, supplying power to over 900 households in 15 villages. It has also committed another Rs 3 crore to be spent every year over the next five years towards maintaining these grids.

The panelists included Alok Verma, Associate Project Director, HCL Samuday; Vishal Bharadwaj, CEO, Dalmia Bharat Foundation; Abhimanyu Sahu, COO, Schneider Electric India Foundation; Bishal Thapa, Managing Director, Saral Urja Nepal Pvt. Ltd.; Pradeep Kashyap, Founder of MART; Samit Mitra, Director-Program Implementation, Smart Power India, Gaurav Kumar, Co-Founder & Director, Claro Energy among several others.

The closed-door discussion was attended by around 70 people.

Some of the key issues that were addressed at the Roundtable included ways to establish sustainable business models to address the energy crisis in India, developing an entrepreneurial mindset among local communities to ensure that they are able to expand and run the solar grids without external help and creating an eco-system which can foster economic development.

Speaking at the event, HCL Samuday, Associate Project Director, Alok Verma said, “Samuday is working in collaboration with the Govt. of Uttar Pradesh and our solar electrification program is in line with the Government of India’s vision that 40% of the country’s energy needs should be supplied through renewable sources, as required by the Paris Treaty.”

“Supplying solar energy will have massive impact on several allied areas like improving healthcare facilities, allowing greater access to potable drinking water by powering underground pipes, improving agricultural practices by powering mini water pumps, improving educational infrastructure and increasing means of livelihood by powering proper processing and refrigeration systems for efficient use by fisheries, local milk manufactures etc,” he added.