OPPORTUNITY
- India’s grid reliability remains a challenge in rural: In 2019, India achieved near 100% rural electrification, connecting over 300 million households over the past many decades – however, significant challenges remain for the govt. to meet its 24/7 reliable power for all.
- About 40% of rural C&I customers, especially in low-income, high density rural states of North & East India, are still not connected to the main grid.
- Moreover, the grid reliability is poor with frequent power cuts (average hours of supply in rural is 16 to 18 hours) and low voltage supply, forcing micro-enterprises and other commercial customers to depend heavily on expensive and polluting diesel.
- Mini-grids can not only meet the electricity needs of under-served communities, but also spur micro-enterprise activity in a village by significantly lowering electricity costs vis-à-vis diesel.
APPROACH
SPI extends support to ESCOs in the following areas:
- Project management
- On-ground demand generation
- Technological innovation
- Knowledge Products and Tools
THE GOAL
- SPI will drive reliable access & rural economic development in India to complement the central government’s mission for 24/7 power for all, by facilitating deployment of over 4,000 mini-grids by 2025, in partnership with India’s largest power sector company, Tata Power, Mithun Rural Development Foundation, and experienced regional developers such as OMC Power & Husk Power.
- Today, more than 606 renewable energy mini-grids cumulating to 18.3 MW of capacity are supported by Smart Power India.
