Is Solar Electrification a Sustainable Solution for Rural Electrification? Learning from Field Experience

Addressing the needs of sustainable development also needs to address the issue of rural electrification. The government of India has taken different policies for rural electrification for remote villages in India by distributing Solar Home System (SHS). Such programs have been executed in the state of Assam also, which is situated in the North Eastern part of India. But the thing to be noted is that such installations are highly subsidized. Under such circumstance people may not be eager to buy from market and there is problem of non-payment of monthly sustenance charge which beneficiaries are supposed to pay for replacement of batteries. There is difficulty in repairing SHS which is coupled with non availability of spare parts. Therefore, sustainability of such program is a very relevant issue to address. The main objective of this research is to see whether the installation process is sustainable or not and to discuss the impact of solar electrification on the community. It will also study the factors that affect purchasing decision of SHS. The study will help policy makers to promote sustainable rural development by providing reliable source of energy for rural electrification.