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‘Be taught from the success of nations like India’ — a subhead in a 2024 article by Forbes, suggested, because it urged readers and economies to pivot away from their dependency on non-renewable sources of power.
Because the article beckoned international locations to take notes from India’s profitable tryst with clear power, it reasoned why. “Since 2015, India has related 28 million households, impacting 120 million individuals, to the electrical energy grids — a 3rd of the worldwide complete over the last decade. On this period, the nation has additionally added greater than 1,50,000 MW of fresh power capability,” the article famous.
With solar energy being given a heat welcome from sectors starting from schooling and healthcare to farming and small companies, the nation is seeing a profound shift in the way in which companies are evolving to satisfy their power necessities. And the statistics are telling. Because the World Electrical energy Assessment 2024 famous, “India’s development in photo voltaic era in 2023 pushed the nation previous Japan to turn into the world’s third-largest solar energy generator. It has climbed from rating ninth in 2015.”
The objective is in clear sight — to realize 500 GW of renewable power capability by 2030. However because the power transition is underway and industries hustle to do their bit to go photo voltaic, there are success tales rising from pockets throughout India the place households, farming entrepreneurs, and avenue distributors are championing an identical change.
We check out the tales of some girls who’re utilizing solar energy to scale their companies.
1. Solar energy for drying fruits
Almost a decade after the United Nations outlined the Sustainable Improvement Objectives (SDGs) that fashioned a blueprint for the world to maneuver in direction of a greater future, farmers throughout Indian villages are acknowledging the ability that clear power holds. One such lady who has made solar energy central to her enterprise technique is fourth-generation chikoo horticulturist, Latika Patil hailing from Dahanu in Maharashtra.
Whereas beforehand, the household sun-dried the fruits, it wasn’t proving conducive because of unpredictable climate patterns. That is when photo voltaic dryers got here in. As Latika’s son Ninad explains, “Underneath any climatic circumstances, the temperature of those plates is maintained at 55 to 60 levels, which helps in conserving the vitamins.” He provides that the plates are lined by UV safety high-grade polycarbonate sheets, which additionally defend the contents from mud and exterior particles.
The profitability gained by venturing into photo voltaic drying is exponential, as Latika shares. Not solely does it scale back the processing time of the fruit to sooner or later in comparison with three to 4 days, she says, however it additionally will increase the shelf-life to 9 months from the earlier three months.
Attain out to them right here.
2. Solar energy for operating homestays
It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that the previous decade has acted as an inflection level for solar energy within the housing area. The concept gained explosive traction, and at present, householders in addition to those that have transformed their areas into homestays, are favouring solar energy over conventional grid dependence.
Specialists are of the opinion that photo voltaic panels can prevent lakhs on electrical energy payments and show an excellent funding in the long term. Media skilled Shalini whose ‘Raison D’etre’ is a gorgeous homestay in Manali, recognised this potential early on. She alongside along with her husband Nitin Beri are advocates of sustainable residing and had been eager that the homestay be an emblem of it.
Shalini emphasises that they run their operations completely on solar energy and have a photo voltaic system in place that generates electrical energy on which your complete dwelling runs. “Even on days when there’s as little as 30 % daylight, the system works effectively. Moreover, any extra power generated in the course of the day is saved in batteries, which we then use for energy backup when wanted,” provides Nitin.
Attain out to them right here.
3. Photo voltaic for avenue retailers
As we converse, an power revolution is steadily brewing within the nation and the world over. In keeping with information by Rystad Power, India put in a file 7.1 gigawatts (GW) capability renewable power sources in March, serving to the nation attain its highest-ever annual put in capability of 18.5 GW in FY24. And this marked change is being embraced throughout sectors.
Have you ever ever prevented shopping for produce after darkish for worry of not with the ability to discover indicators of spoilage? You aren’t the one one. However when this follow is extrapolated to the lots, it has an influence on the companies run by avenue distributors. They discover themselves in a rush to promote their produce earlier than nightfall, and are anxious concerning the produce that will get left behind as it will likely be discarded.
When Aakarsh Shamanur, a Bengaluru-based social entrepreneur seen this, he determined to deliver a change on this area of interest phase utilizing the ability of photo voltaic.
His enterprise ‘Be Po-Lite’ goals at being ‘a ray of sunshine’ for ladies avenue distributors who can now use the 3W solar-powered transportable lamps to run their stalls even after the solar goes down. The ladies are inspired to take the lamps dwelling, use them for cooking, and to assist their kids examine.
A multi-purpose innovation!
Attain out to him right here.
4. Solar energy for making rotis
An article posted by the Ministry of New and Renewable Power narrated the story of two girls, Joshi and Rosy, who used solar energy to their benefit to create thriving dwelling companies — displaying an urge for food for innovation.
In Joshi’s case, it was the premature dying of her husband that led her to start out a catering enterprise. However whereas she loved cooking, making rotis (Indian flatbreads) was proving to be a time-consuming ordeal as milling the flour would take her hours; typically a complete day. Frequent energy cuts had been of no assist. However hope got here within the type of a solar-powered rob-rolling machine and a flour-milling machine.
The identical success was tasted by Rosy Louis Dabale from the village of Agsalkatta in North Karnataka. Rosy is a well being employee within the village, in line with the article, and he or she now manages the flour mill on the premises.
5. Solar energy for tailoring
The individuals within the rural hinterland of India have repeatedly proven a show of market muscle in terms of innovation. One such village the place that is evident is Maganpur, a hamlet close to Jharkhand’s Ramgarh district. Whereas coal mines dot the panorama of this hamlet, clear power is sprouting in a lot of its houses; the dichotomy is obvious.
An article revealed by Scroll spanned the expanse of the houses in Maganpur, delving into the companies which might be operated throughout the 4 partitions. As they found it was majorly tailoring companies that had been being run. The article spotlighted the story of a girl Kaniz Fatima who has been engaged in stitching for years. She and her husband made solely a meagre Rs 150 per day via their work, as per the article.
However in 2020, when a basis stepped in to assist them safe a financial institution mortgage of Rs 15,000, which enabled them to put in photo voltaic panels on their roof, their life modified for the higher. Their earnings doubled, they are saying, and along with this, they take pleasure in an uninterrupted energy provide. The article went on so as to add that Kaniz’s instance is now a task mannequin for different houses within the village who’ve seen the success her enterprise has witnessed because of solar energy.
Edited by Pranita Bhat
Sources:
Unlocking The Future With Clear Power: A World Crucial by Sumant Sinha, Revealed on 2 Could 2024.
India surpasses Japan as world’s third-largest solar energy generator: Report by Instances of India, Revealed on 8 Could 2024.
Clear energy surge: India units new file for month-to-month renewable power set up by Rystad Power, Revealed on 23 April 2024.
Odisha man turns electrical auto into solar-powered car by ANI, Revealed on 19 July 2023.
Two photo voltaic panels on a tailor’s roof inform the story of how Jharkhand is adopting renewable power by Karishma Mehrotra, Revealed on 28 August 2021.
