Monday, June 09, 2014: A new microgrid model for solar power is promising to deliver solar power to every village in India soon. According to a report by the Economic Times (ET), the new model allows a customer to register with a microgrid owner with a monthly subscription following which the owner will provide the customer with solar power for two lights, a fan and a mobile phone charging socket.
“A customer would spend Rs 160 a month for his mobile charging and kerosene for lamps. We charge him Rs 100,” Brian Shaad, co-founder of Mera Gao Power, a microgrid firm told ET. He also said that the model has grown fast and has been gaining 2,000 subscribers per month.
Further, the report said that it costs less than Rs 60,000 to set up a micro-grid. Moreover, the project costs are recovered is three years along with maintenance, upgrades and other overhead costs. In addition, the fact that customers can save money ensures that they keep paying for their subscriptions on time.
People in the industry are looking at the sector ass a big business opportunity. MeraGao Power has reportedly already electrified 20,000 households, while another firm by the name of Minda NextGenTech has put up 250 micro-grid systems.
