Thangjam Basanta Meitei (57) has always loved the winter. But along with the pleasant chill that it heralds, winter also means shorter days. And this Basanta dreads. He clarifies he isn’t afraid of the night; it is insects and rodents — which thrive in the dark — that he detests.

Basanta belongs to the village of Yairipok in Manipur. One could blame its remote location coupled with episodes of ethnic violence for the unsteady power supply, whose capricious dynamic would often plunge the village into darkness soon after sunset.

“As soon as it would get dark, insects and rats would enter my house. Imagine preparing dinner, in the dark with insects everywhere. How could we cook? How could we eat? How could we wash our plates in the dark?” While kerosene lamps and candles improved visibility, they did nothing to fend off the creatures. So, the most feasible thing was to call it a day. Basanta would go to bed by 5 pm.

“We had tough times,” he concludes; note the use of the past tense. Those days are now behind him. You see, for the last few years, Basanta’s home has been powered by solar energy, as are many homes in Manipur. The darkness does not dictate their schedule anymore, the Sun does.

Renewable energy is breathing new life into rural India

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) recognised by the United Nations assert that inclusive development is impossible without ensuring equitable access to clean and affordable energy. So, let’s turn our gaze to India’s hinterland where 65 percent of the population resides. Despite electricity being extended to over 800 million people since 2001, 2.4 percent of households remain unelectrified.

But now this statistic is set to change as green startups mushroom across the country. Their entry into these rural markets is marked by an attempt to bring its people respite in the form of solar microgrids. As Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) penetrates remote regions, experts see it as a step closer to the goal of energy democratisation.

But the purpose transcends sustainability, points out Shweta Jaju, co-founder and director, ONergy Solar. “It’s also about enabling livelihoods and improving quality of life.” This is backed by ONergy’s impact; the startup has empowered a million lives through its solar solutions, which extend to households, businesses, and farmers; affordability, accessibility and ease of adoption are the mainstays of their model.

“We focus on simplified financing options to make solar adoption easier, including government subsidies and flexible payment plans. This coupled with technology-driven solutions that ensure efficient solar panel installations and local partnerships with shop owners, electricians, and solar installers, helps create a strong last-mile delivery network,” Shweta elaborates.

But of course, breaking new ground isn’t easy.

Subsidies — a shot in the arm for adoption of green power

There is a $53 billion market potential for clean energy in rural areas, reports suggest.

But even as the infusion of green power into India’s villages is emphasised, startup owners find themselves navigating bottlenecks. Shreya Mishra, founder of SolarSquare, a startup that is decarbonising the country through its solar solutions, points to the lack of awareness as the biggest one to tackle. “In India, just about 1 percent of homes have adopted solar. Historically, customer awareness has........

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