Evaluating Investment-Policy Interaction in the Mini-Grid and DRE sectors
Date : April 14, 2022
India has seen progressive developments on the DRE and mini-grid policy front. But have these policies led to an increased quantum of finance or better access to it? What is the investor perception of these changes? Studies commissioned by Shakti attempt to provide some answers by assessing the nature and form of finance available along with previous investment trends and future projections, w...
Towards Solar-Powered Agricultural Water Pumps
Date : April 13, 2022
Agriculture contributes to 15 per cent of India’s GDP and employs 50 per cent of the workforce. Reliable irrigation, therefore, is a critical requirement not just for the farmer but also for the country. Solar irrigation pumps are a promising alternative to traditional water pumping systems which usually operate on grid electricity, diesel and kerosene. Given their potential, Shakti is working w...
Enhancing Civil Society Engagement in Uttar Pradesh’s Power Sector
Date : April 13, 2022
Uttar Pradesh has the largest population, the largest number of households added under the Saubhagya scheme, and the highest commitment to reforms under the Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY), and, therefore, the greatest need to address losses incurred by distribution companies (discoms). But discoms in Uttar Pradesh have persistently been faring poorly facing large annual losses while being un...
Financing the Decentralised Renewable Energy Sector in India
Date : April 13, 2022
Over the last few years, decentralized renewable energy (DRE) solutions have witnessed an increased uptake and support from developers, investors and policymakers. This has resulted in the emergence of businesses that are at various stages of evolution ranging from start-ups to established energy enterprises. Additionally, introduction of innovative policies and programs and the launch of large sc...
Scaling up Mini-Grids
Date : January 17, 2022
It is estimated that around 237 million Indians remain unconnected to the discom grid and do not have access to reliable electricity. In the last few years, DRE-based mini-grids have emerged as an effective solution to provide clean and reliable power using locally available resources. On the policy front, mini-grids have been gaining prominence with the development of a draft national policy on r...
Strengthening the DRE Ecosystem
Date : January 14, 2022
Currently, an estimated 237 million Indians lack access to any form of electricity, while an additional 100 million have less than four hours of electricity per day. At the same time, the Government of India has set a target of generating over 175 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2022. Decentralised Renewable Energy (DRE) can play a key role in meeting India’s ambitious electrification targets. ...
Access to Clean Cooking Energy and Electricity – Survey of States 2018
Date : December 9, 2021
ACCESS 2018 survey revisits the households to understand the changes in their energy access situation over the last three years, and to study the impact of government policies during this period. Its analysis and findings provide a multidimensional view of the nuances associated with electricity access and cooking energy access such as the duration of supply, quality, reliability, affordability, a...
Assessing the Feasibility of Solar applications in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Rural India
Date : December 9, 2021
Around 63.4 million unincorporated non-agricultural micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are estimated to be engaged in various economic activities in India, contributing to 29% of the total gross domestic product (GDP) and employing nearly 111 million people. Microenterprises alone constitute more than 99% of the entire MSME sector. The central and state governments have been rolling out re...
Empowering Bihar’s Health Sector With Decentralised Renewable Energy
Date : December 9, 2021
The impacts of COVID-19 on the health, economic, and humanitarian fronts were felt deeply all across the country. According to a survey by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), Bihar was one of the states that faced the worst impacts of the COVID-19 induced lockdown. In the wake of pandemic, more than 1.5 million migrant workers have returned to the state and Bihar now faces the task of...