Technical Seminar Ashden Awards

London

Noble Energy Solar Technologies Ltd.

My personal mission and NEST’s mission is to help make a kerosene-free world by promoting affordable and sustainable energy

lighting solutions to the most needy people in the world.

We shall make electricity so affordable that only the rich will burn candles

- Edison

• BBC coverage of 6th Aug 2001, which showed the pictures of 28 charred to death in chains and that killer kerosene lantern simultaneously

• The tiny news item in Deccan Chronicle of 5th Jan 2005, which reported the death of two twin infants – LUV & KUSH – after a burning candle fell on their bed?....

• Hazardous nature of kerosene • Solar energy comes as an immediate and urgent

solution to this burning issue of the world• Address the need not greed

– Started very small in 1998 – It was a lone enterprise with focused approach to provide

affordable lighting solution to the REALLY NEEDY people.

– 20th EU solar PV conference… I think, we are Still quite lonely in this endeavor, as every company is busy addressing the top of the pyramid

• We believe that we can “serve the poor profitably” using solar PV technology

Picture Source http://www.american-pictures.com/gallery/usa/book145tr-x.jpg

The Background

Poverty Reduction through Solar

• For one unit of light emitted, the poor For one unit of light emitted, the poor pay higher price than the richpay higher price than the rich

• A kerosene lamp gives 4 lumens of A kerosene lamp gives 4 lumens of light whereas a 60watt incandescent light whereas a 60watt incandescent bulb gives 900 lumens of lightbulb gives 900 lumens of light

• Poverty reduction must and should Poverty reduction must and should be achieved with care and attentionbe achieved with care and attentionWe should not harm their SELF-We should not harm their SELF-ESTEEM! ESTEEM!

• Poverty reduction in stages - slow Poverty reduction in stages - slow and steady. and steady. Therefore, the key isTherefore, the key is

• Starting Small – for small is big; Starting Small – for small is big; small has the scope to become big. small has the scope to become big. Importantly, it gives them the Importantly, it gives them the OPPORTUNITY to buy OPPORTUNITY to buy

• Being aware, is progress. Being aware, is progress. Solar mini Solar mini lamps bring that kind of huge lamps bring that kind of huge AWARENESS w/o being burden to AWARENESS w/o being burden to anyoneanyone

There’s so much darkness in the world that The Sun God cannot appear in those dark Households except in the form of a Solar mini lamp

It’s the poor who NEED and APPRECIATES the solar Technology more than the rich! The rich finds it COSTLY and COMPULSION to use it!! Many reasons…

The solar lamps are mass promotable The solar lamps are mass promotable for more than one reason:for more than one reason:

• It’s small, lightweight, It’s small, lightweight, portableportable

• Reaches the illiterate and Reaches the illiterate and needyneedy

• Gives hope: Gives hope: Hope that ensures ‘light’ Hope that ensures ‘light’ in their lifein their lifeHope that increases their Hope that increases their self-worth self-worth

• Poor convinced - Rich Poor convinced - Rich not. We found it easier to not. We found it easier to sell solar lamps in sell solar lamps in villages than in cities. villages than in cities. Bcoz the rich enjoy the Bcoz the rich enjoy the ‘cheap’ energy, they ask ‘cheap’ energy, they ask ‘why solar is costly’!... ‘why solar is costly’!...

• Therefore, Our focus –is Therefore, Our focus –is on Poor. on Poor.

• By serving the poor, we By serving the poor, we serve the richserve the rich

I’ve some reasons to say this: What a multi million pounds solar power plant can do in terms of demonstration of solar technology, just a tiny solar lamp can do. And it happens in a widespread manner. I, even more, tend to simplify that it is as easy as distributing solar brochures! The solution I advocate in the form of solar mini lamp is coming as a simple solution but not simplistic! Simple does not mean easy. Simple often is very difficult. So, my solution, though looks simple, is in reality a task of enormous work. And, I’m aware of this vast task.

• About 96 billion liters of kerosene is being burnt annually

• CO2 emission of 260 million tons every year.

• Slow poison

• Killer Fuel (2.5 million, 35,000 children)

Why a Kerosene-free

world?

What did we do ?• We designed Aishwarya – 3W CFL, 6V4Ah bat and 3Wp

solar panel. And, we named it as Aishwarya as a symbol of ‘fortune’ and the blend of performance and beauty.

• The poor in India spend 1400 rupees for 12 - 18 months of kerosene – we give them flexi payable options

• We adopt all innovative market development methods. Otherwise, the villagers would not see light in another 100 years

• Aishwarya - three years of conceptualization • Which is environmentally sound • And in line with any other FMCG product

• We created vibrant market in the villages. We created dealer networks and a retail distribution channels similar to any comml operation.

• And, we demonstrated that “Sustainable energy can be a sustainable business” model also.

• Becoz we all know that “Technology should also make good business – as free money kills spirit to stand on own feet”

Reaching the un-reached : Padmaram Thanda (hamlet)Mahbubnagar District, AP, India Unelectrified village

Also…

• Created micro enterprise network in rural and semi-urban settings.

• We approached self-help groups and existing para-business dealers- the dealers who are willing to run solar business along with their established business (Newspaper vendors, Telephone booths etc)

• Brand equity in rural areas, a unique achievement

• We are able to sell above 60,000 solar lamps since 2001

• Of which 75% of them in households in far-flung areas, untouched by electricity

• Institutions, NGOs & Foundations are our excellent associates. We blend with such philanthropic organizations to accelerate the awareness of solar technology. (Baan/Katragadda!)

AP’s Self-Help Groups

Katragadda Foundation

Most intriguing aspects of our achievement

• Reaching areas untouched by governmental development programs, which were constantly neglected due to socio-political reasons

• Going into areas that have active insurgency and extremism

• People eat bug-less food with their little lamps

• Children, getting to use clean & safe lighting and, are studying

• Earning villagers – people who do sewing, prepare ‘bidis’, collect forest by-products - are able to enhance their incomes due to extra hrs available in the evenings

• One village celebrated the birth of a girl into a life with light – first child in that solar village to be born in light (the lamp helped in the delivery too)

• That’s why we believe that the solar lamp is more than just a lighting product, but a means of improving their lives…

• The children in slums… At least, their children will not be born in these slums…

• A new spirit injected into them – a new hope, brought in their LIFE with, a small new light

And this is what we advocate … LIFE IS LIGHT; LIGHT IS LIFE

We’ve everything. We’ve the infinite & ultimate power house – the Sun - in the sky. We’ve abundant silicon on the earth crust. And we’ve the brilliant solar technology with us… Let’s move towards the kerosene-free world…

Thank you