The Rockfeller Foundation, which has committed USD 50 million for mini power grids in India, is looking for public private partnerships to facilitate setting up of such projects.
So far, the foundation has facilitated setting up of 106 mini power grids in as many villages and the larger aim is to have 1,000 such projects in less than three years.
The foundation, which works for betterment of human lives across the world, has set up Smart Power India, which is implementing the Smart Power for Rural Development (SPRD) programme.
“We have an overall target of getting to 1,000 villages and serving a million people. We want to get 1,000 mini grids in less than three years,” Deepali Khanna, who is Director (Smart Power for Rural Development) at the foundation told TOI.
Under the foundation’s efforts, currently there are 106 mini grids in three states operating through seven private sector companies. For mini grids, the foundation is looking at solar power as well as electricity generated from hybrid sources — a mix of solar and biomass.