Virtually battery-free, 100% renewable, remotely-managed rural utility is coming

Husk Power Systems, an early pioneer in developing micro-grids for poor, rural communities in India and sub-Saharan Africa, plans a 7-fold increase in its power plants to 600 within 5 years, expanding into a fully-fledged rural utility that delivers reliable 24/7 grid-compatible power and better customer service than incumbent utilities.
India and sub-Saharan Africa, plans a 7-fold increase in its power plants to 600 within 5 years, expanding into a fully-fledged rural utility that delivers reliable 24/7 grid-compatible power and better customer service than incumbent utilities…
https://www.powerforall.org/insights/impact/virtually-battery-free-100-renewable

New Report: Progress on 24x7 Power for All

India’s government has made transparency a centerpiece of its rural electrification campaign, called Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY). A new update summarizing the status of India’s overall energy reform program (called 24x7 Power for All, or Ujwal Bharat) was recently issued, reporting that 73% of villages have been electrified under DDUGJY as of May 19, 2017.
India’s government has made transparency a centerpiece of its rural electrification campaign, called Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY)…
https://www.powerforall.org/insights/impact/new-report-progress-24x7-power-all

India: National Access Target Good; National DRE Better; State DRE Best

India grabbed headlines in April 2015 when the Modi government pledged to achieve universal energy access, aka Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7), in four years. It was and remains a world-leading commitment, and coupled with a 175 GW target for new clean power generation by 2022 (including 40 GW of grid-tied rooftop solar), it triggered a wave of new investment and market growth.
India grabbed headlines in April 2015 when the Modi government pledged to achieve universal energy access, aka Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7), in four years…
https://www.powerforall.org/countries/india/india-national-access-target-good-national-dre-better-state-dre-best

Commentary: New India Electrification Target Daunting, but Doable

Debajit Palit of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), a research institute, says a newly announced government scheme is a step in the right direction to electrify all households in India, but only with change management at state-owned distributors
India, but only with change management at state-owned distributors Since the Indian government announced in September a new scheme (called Saubhagya) to achieve universal electrification for urban and rural households by March 2019, much of the attention has been on the viability of such an ambitious goal…
https://www.powerforall.org/news-media/articles/commentary-new-india-electrification-target-daunting-doable

India’s Power Surge: A Paradox of Plenty?

India’s state power ministers convened in Delhi recently for an unusual group meeting. The event had a dual purpose: partly to celebrate how far India has come in rebuilding its power sector, and partly to lay out a roadmap for confronting the challenges that remain. My recent journey through 11 of India’s 29 states, speaking with senior power officials, confirms that India has made incredible progress in tackling its power generation deficit. Increased generation capacity through new additions of renewables and greater efficiency and reliability of coal stocks for thermal power plants is coupling with the success of India’s incredible demand-side measures to create a perfect storm of plentiful power. However, the next set of problems for its power sector are in some ways more difficult to confront. To address those problems, India will have to employ a diverse and creative set of solutions.
India’s state power ministers convened in Delhi recently for an unusual group meeting. India has come in rebuilding its power sector, and partly to lay out a roadmap for confronting the challenges that remain…
https://www.powerforall.org/insights/impact/indias-power-surge-paradox-plenty

Saubhagya: the challenge in one chart

India has set a target of electrifying all households by Q1 2019. That will require 10x growth in the pace of new connections, says Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF)
India has set a target of electrifying all households by Q1 2019. India has more than 40 million households, mostly rural, living without electricity…
https://www.powerforall.org/news-media/articles/saubhagya-challenge-one-chart

Waste biomass power set to surge in India

Solar energy has received most of the attention in India’s ongoing energy transition. But the country’s draft National Energy Policy (NEP) has called for putting greater resources behind projects that convert waste agricultural biomass into electricity.
Solar energy has received most of the attention in India’s ongoing energy transition. India
https://www.powerforall.org/news-media/articles/waste-biomass-power-set-surge-india

Waste Biomass Power Set to Surge in India

Solar energy has received most of the attention in India’s ongoing energy transition. But the country’s draft National Energy Policy (NEP) has called for putting greater resources behind projects that convert waste agricultural biomass into electricity.
Solar energy has received most of the attention in India’s ongoing energy transition. India
https://www.powerforall.org/insights/technologies/waste-biomass-power-set-surge-india

India's leading mini-grid program shows momentum

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

Crowdfunding tapped as new finance path for rural electrification in India

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