Clean Energy

Energy And Environment

Energy access has improved dramatically over the last twenty years in India, with more than 75 percent of the population now having electricity.

Yet, millions of households in India, particularly in rural areas still suffer from a chronic lack of access to modern energy services while they also face the brunt of the risks associated with climate change. The demand for clean energy technology and its products, solutions, and their adoption, continue to lag behind in rural India because prospective clients are often unaware of them, or do not have easy access to them. Empowering and creating strong networks of women clean energy entrepreneurs can significantly enhance outreach, and enable access to clean energy information and solutions for the “last mile”.

“Recognising the need for clean cooking and drudgery reducing options for rural women, SSP (initially) took up the opportunity to partner a large company in 2005 to co-create a clean fuel cooking stove and grassroots business model that built on the strength of the existing women’s Self Help Group network. The next opportunity to scale up the women’s network in clean energy was in 2012, when a Partnership on Women’s Entrepreneurship in Clean Energy (WPOWER), a programme supported by the US State Department and USAID India, led to popularising clean energy to rural communities.” Prema Gopalan, Founder of SSP

Evolution of the Model

For more than a decade, SSP has collaborated with donor organizations and private sector partners to improve access to clean energy products among rural consumers.

2006-09 co-creation of Urja cook stove and bio mass pellets as fuel & creation of last mile distribution network of 350+VLE’s in Latur & Osmanabad –Maharashtra
2009 Scaled up basket of Clean energy products eg. Solar and biogas etc.
2012 wPOWER project funded by USAID to create 1000+ women Entre in Maharashtra& Bihar
2016 Scaled up program in Bihar supported by Misoreor
2020 built advanced capacities in women in Maharashtra & Bihar with more clean energy products & services.

The Model

Women’s Entrepreneurship in Clean Energy program of Swayam Shikshan Prayog, enables market-based solutions to work for rural communities that have a concrete need for modern energy solutions.

This unique initiative of wPOWER connects all the vital dots including, women’s entrepreneurship, awareness of clean energy technologies, access to products and support over the last mile.

By integrating women entrepreneurs with the clean energy technology supply chain, the Clean Energy Program creates a scalable and replicable public-private partnership model.

The partnership ecosystem strengthens women entrepreneurship networks by providing them with access to technology, finance and markets.

The network of women clean energy entrepreneurs known as Sakhis forms the core of the program, aided by multi-sector partnerships that enhance access to technology, finance and markets.

The marketing and distribution infrastructure and the Sakhi network deliver solutions like advanced cookstoves, solar lamps, solar water heaters and provide product servicing at the doorstep of rural households through:

Training and capacity building of rural women as Sakhis or women entrepreneurs on business management and clean energy technologies
Promoting clean energy solutions through public awareness programs – community meetings, weekly market stalls and information campaigns. These solutions range from advanced cook stoves, bio pellets, biogas plants, solar lanterns, home lighting system and solar water heaters.
Establishing clean energy hubs to serve as a platform for training, marketing and servicing of clean energy products. It also facilitates business linkages between women entrepreneur networks, technology providers, financial institutions and the government.
Establishing public and private sector partnerships for product design, development and marketing of clean energy products; and transferring best practices, business models and innovative clean energy solutions between India, Africa and to other countries.

Women’s Entrepreneurship in Clean Energy program’s partnership ecosystem

By directly connecting manufacturers with the network, the program makes access to clean energy solutions seamless and affordable for rural end-consumers. Diverse partners – private technology developers, banks, public energy agencies are enhancing access to products, technology and finance for Sakhis.

Sakhi Unique Rural Enterprise (SURE), SSP’s rural marketing and distribution associate, delivers the vital last mile product inventory management, marketing, distribution and after sales support to the Sakhi network. SURE sources clean energy products from private sector product manufacturers and supplies them to the network of Sakhis who in turn, distribute them to last mile rural consumers. This forms the core value chain within the program’s partnership ecosystem.

Moving beyond clean energy products, SSP has facilitated the diversification of the Sakhi Portfolio further by including products and solutions which meet the needs of rural consumers to deliver health, hygiene, and climate adaptive solutions and financially sustain the Sakhi network.

Impact

Between 2020-2021, Sakhis have distributed 10,000+ products to 6,188 unique rural consumers generating a net income of more than INR 2,00,000 for themselves in Bihar.

The Change

The Change

The program has improved awareness, affordability, and accessibility for a range of socially responsible products in the rural villages of Maharshtra and Bihar.

The micro-businesses started by Sakhi’s are contributing as an additional income stream and empowering them to be financially independent.
Sakhis have garnered significant social recognition through last mile business engagements.
Since lockdown in March 2020, SSP quickly adapted to a low physical and high remote mode of program delivery. SSP partnered with Gaavkhoj to launch an online platform that gives Sakhis and Consumers an opportunity to digitally order products. Digital Inclusion has been one of the key unintended impacts emerging out in the last two years of the program, and needs scaling up.

Clean Energy

Energy And Environment

Evolution of the Model

The Model

Women’s Entrepreneurship in Clean Energy program’s partnership ecosystem

Impact

The Change

Swayam Shikshan Prayog

The organisation is committed to promote sustainable community development by repositioning women as change makers and fostering collective leadership.

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