Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Localization–Affordability–Saturation for Speedy Distribution of Solar Study Lamps to Millions


Affiliations
1 Department of Energy Science and Engineering, Centre for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas, Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400 076, India
2 Centre for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas, Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400 076, India
3 Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400 076, India
 

Millions of rural households in India lack access to clean basic lighting which hampers the ability of children to study during dark hours. Over 81 million students are likely to be dependent on kerosene lamps for basic lighting. Despite programmes focusing on disseminating solar lanterns since the last three decades, penetration is limited owing to three main barriers: affordability, absence of after-sales services and unavailability in rural markets. This paper presents the localization–affordability–saturation (LAS) model that addresses these main barriers by bringing together three institutional spheres – government, corporate and NGOs for speedy upscaling. This paper illustrates experiences and challenges that have emerged from field testing of the model through Million Solar Urja Lamp Programme while disseminating 1,000,000 solar study lamps to rural school children residing in more than 10,000 villages in India. Though implemented successfully, applicability of LAS model can be hindered due to dependence on subsidies, bottlenecks in local manufacturing infrastructure, absence of market mechanism and its relevance in providing complete lighting solutions.

Keywords

Affordability, Kerosene, Localization, Rural, Saturation.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • IEA, World Energy Outlook 2015, 2015; http://www.worldenergyoutlook.org/resources/energydevelopment/energyaccessdatabase/

  • Census, Houselisting and Housing Census Data Highlights – 2011, 2011; http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/hlo/Data_sheet/India/Source_Lighting.pdf

  • Census of India, Population Enumeration Data, 2011; http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/population_enumeration.html

  • NUEPA, School Report Cards, 2014; http://schoolreportcards.in/SRC-New/

  • Mahapatra, S., Chanakya, H. N. and Dasappa, S., Evaluation of various energy devices for domestic lighting in India: Technology, economics and CO2 emissions. Energy Sustain. Dev., 2009, 13, 271–279.

  • Clarke, K., Kerosene subsidies in India, 2014; https://www.iisd.org/GSI/sites/default/files/ffs_india_kerosene.pdf

  • PPAC, Consumption of petroleum products, 2015.

  • PPAC. Fiscal subsidy on PDS kerosene and domestic LPG (under subsidy scheme, 2002), 2015.

  • PPAC, Under recoveries to OMCs on sale of sensitive petroleum products, 2015; http://ppac.org.in/content/150_1_Subsidy.aspx

  • Rao, N. D., Kerosene subsidies in India: when energy policy fails as social policy. Energy Sustain. Dev., 2012, 16, 35–43.

  • British Petroleum. Statistical review of World Energy 2015, 2015; http://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/energy-economics/statistical-review-of-world-energy.html

  • Kamalapur, G. D. and Udaykumar, R. Y., Rural electrification in India and feasibility of photovoltaic solar home systems. Int. J. Electr. Power, 2012, 33, 594–599.

  • Chaurey, A. and Kandpal, T. C., Solar lanterns for domestic lighting in India: viability of central charging station model. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, 4910–4918.

  • Kapoor, K., Pandey, K. K., Jain, A. K. and Nandan, A. Evolution of solar energy in India: a review. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev., 2014, 40, 475–487.

  • Sharma, D. C., Transforming rural lives through decentralized green power. Futures, 2007, 39, 583–596.

  • Velayudhan, S. K., Dissemination of solar photovoltaics: a study on the government programme to promote solar lantern in India. Energy Policy, 2003, 31, 1509–1518.

  • MNRE, Annual Report 2010–11, 2011; http://mnre.gov.in/file-manager/annual-report/2010-2011/EN/Chapter 6/chapter 6.htm

  • Shrimali, G. and Rohra, S., India’s solar mission: a review. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev., 2012, 16, 6317–6332.

  • Kumar, A., Kumar, K., Kaushik, N., Sharma, S. and Mishra, S., Renewable energy in India: current status and future potentials. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev., 2010, 14, 2434–2442.

  • Choragudi, S., Off-grid solar lighting systems: a way align India’s sustainable and inclusive development goals. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev., 2013, 28, 890–899.

  • MNRE, Solar Lantern Program, 2010.

  • MNRE, Annual Report 2011–2012, 2012.

  • Palit, D., Solar energy programs for rural electrification: Experiences and lessons from South Asia. Energy Sustain. Dev., 2013, 17, 270–279.

  • TERI, Prime Minister lauds TERI’s Energy Entrepreneur Noor Jahan during his ‘Mann ki Baat’ address. TERI Press Release, 2015; http://www.teriin.org/files/Press_Advisory_PMs-mann-kibaat-address.pdf

  • Singh, K., Business innovation and diffusion of off-grid solar technologies in India. Energy Sustain. Dev., 2016, 30, 1–13.

  • Urpelainen, J. and Yoon, S., Solar home systems for rural India: Survey evidence on awareness and willingness to pay from Uttar Pradesh. Energy Sustain. Dev., 2015, 24, 70–78.

  • Bhushan, C. and Kumar, J., Going Remote: Re-inventing the Off-Grid Solar Revolution for Clean Energy for All, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), 2012.

  • Wong, S., Overcoming obstacles against effective solar lighting interventions in South Asia. Energy Policy, 2012, 40, 110–120.

  • Chamania, S., Chouhan, R., Awasthi, A., Bendell, R. and Marsden, N., Pilot project in rural western Madhya Pradesh, India, to assess the feasibility of using LED and solar-powered lanterns to remove kerosene lamps and related hazards from homes. Burns, 2014, 41, 595–603.

  • Reddy, S. and Painuly, J. P., Diffusion of renewable energy technologies – barriers and stakeholders’ perspectives. Renew. Energy, 2004, 29, 1431–1447.

  • Ministry of Corporate Affairs, The Companies Act, 2013; http://www.mca.gov.in/MinistryV2/companiesact.html

  • The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005, Ministry of Rural Development; http://nrega.nic.in/nerega_statewise.pdf

  • IESNA, Guidelines for room illumination level, 2000.


Abstract Views: 294

PDF Views: 95




  • Localization–Affordability–Saturation for Speedy Distribution of Solar Study Lamps to Millions

Abstract Views: 294  |  PDF Views: 95

Authors

Chetan Singh Solanki
Department of Energy Science and Engineering, Centre for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas, Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400 076, India
N. C. Narayanan
Centre for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas, Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400 076, India
Jayendran Venkateswaran
Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400 076, India

Abstract


Millions of rural households in India lack access to clean basic lighting which hampers the ability of children to study during dark hours. Over 81 million students are likely to be dependent on kerosene lamps for basic lighting. Despite programmes focusing on disseminating solar lanterns since the last three decades, penetration is limited owing to three main barriers: affordability, absence of after-sales services and unavailability in rural markets. This paper presents the localization–affordability–saturation (LAS) model that addresses these main barriers by bringing together three institutional spheres – government, corporate and NGOs for speedy upscaling. This paper illustrates experiences and challenges that have emerged from field testing of the model through Million Solar Urja Lamp Programme while disseminating 1,000,000 solar study lamps to rural school children residing in more than 10,000 villages in India. Though implemented successfully, applicability of LAS model can be hindered due to dependence on subsidies, bottlenecks in local manufacturing infrastructure, absence of market mechanism and its relevance in providing complete lighting solutions.

Keywords


Affordability, Kerosene, Localization, Rural, Saturation.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv114%2Fi10%2F2027-2033