Scale up of access to clean energy for rural livelihoods and to establish supply chain infrastructure and framework for future scale-up

In partnership with Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, funded by Global Environment Facility, the project aims to demonstrate and develop the market for Renewable Energy Technology Packages for Rural Livelihoods (RETPRLs) in three selected states—Assam, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh. The RETPRLs include: solar lighting systems; solar and/or biomass waste–powered micro grids for common facilities; solar irrigation pumps; improved commercial biomass cook-stoves; poultry-litter-based biogas plants; poultry-litter-based briquetting units; solar dryers for vegetables, spices and fish; solar-powered milk chillers; and cold rooms for storage of horticultural produce. The target livelihood sectors include poultry, fisheries, dairy, horticulture, khadi (homespun cloth) and silk weaving, bamboo, and commercial cooking (e.g. tea stalls, sweet shops and street food vendors).

What Have We Accomplished So Far

• Greater awareness and understanding about the project generated through state- and district-level workshops with concerned stakeholders. In total four state-level and seven district-level awareness workshops were organized
• Enabled suppliers, entrepreneurs, contractors and service companies to develop RET Packages in line with the requirements of rural livelihood applications by conducting capacity building programmes and study tours
• Identified the key districts for the intervention: In Assam, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamrup Rural, Darrang, Udalguri and Goalpara; In Madhya Pradesh, Hoshangabad, Betul, Ratlam, Raisen, Dhindori and Balaghat, Sehore; and in Odisha, Koraput, Keonjhar, Khurda, Kalahandi, Puri and Mayurbhanj
• Identified the relevant renewable energy technologies: Solar lighting systems; solar and/or biomass waste-powered micro-grids for common facilities; solar irrigation pumps; improved commercial biomass cook-stoves; poultry-litter-based biogas plants; poultry-litter-based briquetting units; solar dryers for vegetables, spices and fish; solar-powered milk chillers; and cold rooms for storage of horticultural produce.
• Identified the target livelihood sectors: poultry, fisheries, dairy, horticulture, khadi (homespun cloth) and silk weaving, bamboo, and commercial cooking (for example, tea stalls, sweet shops and street food vendors).