JUN 07

A new initiative by SunEdison will see the installation of distributed solar power plants around India, bringing electricity to areas that have never had it before. Through the program, called Eradication of Darkness, SunEdison will design, install and manage the solar power systems in remote villages across the country.

According to the United Nations, one in five people in the world do not have electricity and  over 400,000 of these people live in India.  Lack of electricity limits education and economic opportunities and makes populations more vulnerable to sickness and famine.

Already the solar company has installed a 14-kilowatt solar energy plant in Meerwada, India that is supplying electricity to 400 villagers that were relying on kerosene lamps for light and walking 3 km for drinking water.

The program will be implemented in stages as funding from government grants and private investors and corporations, as well as logistical partners, are acquired. As of now, 29 villages in the Guna District have been identified for the next phase of installations.

An integral part of the program is educating the villages' residents on solar power and electricity, including safety training,

“As challenging as logistics are in rural electrification, it is important that residents have a voice in the development, deployment and management of a solution,” said Pashupathy Gopalan, Managing Director, South Asia and Sub-Saharan Operations, SunEdison. “We have worked very hard to understand their needs and provide education about the possibilities of electricity. We believe education is one of the most important aspects to ensuring the project’s success.”

via Press Release

Comments (6)

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written by Juan Miguel Ruiz, June 08, 2012

That's why solar is so great. You don't need to develop infrastructure on a massive scale. You just need the panels and a few other gear, and voila! You have electricity even in very remote areas.

Juan Miguel Ruiz
GreenJoyment.com

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how long will the bulbs last?
written by r, June 12, 2012

What happens when the light buld burns out? Maybe I'm wrong but I dont think they have a local walmart they can go to in the remote location they live in. I hope this program does work out Im excited about it.

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@r
written by anteater, June 12, 2012

I suppose they would replace them, just like anyone else in the world does when their bulbs burn out. However, I think they would probably be using non-icandescent lamps (LEDs) for this kind of project.

If they can't afford a replacement bulb, they can obtain a micro-loan for the bulb.

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Always a downside
written by Harriet, June 14, 2012

Eradication of darkness is a good name, I guess, with the huge outdoor light in the background of the picture. It could also be called eradication of starry night skies. Why can't the lights be inside people's houses, not creating light pollution where there was none?

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Save The Forest
written by alberto, June 21, 2012

Help The Forest... Please Help us Reforest the American Biological Corridor by supporting our project in http://www.indiegogo.com/helptheforest

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data recovery
written by johnnytaj, July 26, 2012

So finally the dark nights going to end for villages in India.

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