The Rockefeller Foundation Expands Access to Electricity in India
In rural India, only 55 percent of households have access to electricity. The Rockefeller Foundation aims to connect these underserved citizens to sustainable energy sources through their Smart Power For Rural Development initiative. By widening the availability of electricity in India, The Rockefeller Foundation will create new economic opportunities for poor, rural communities.
Globally, 1.2 billion people – including 237 million people in India – have limited or no access to electricity. Even areas classified as “electrified” still have large numbers of individual households that live without service. Additionally, existing electricity connections to poor, rural villages are often low-quality and unreliable. In rural Indian communities, energy is often generated with diesel power, which negatively impacts the health of residents and the environment.
Smart Power For Rural Development is a $75 million initiative started by The Rockefeller Foundation in 2015 to combat energy poverty in rural India. The Rockefeller Foundation established a local partner, Smart Power India, to engage with Indian energy companies and government officials. Smart Power India connects energy service providers, government officials and private sector enterprises to expand electricity in India to underserved rural areas.
The initiative incentivizes local energy service companies to enter rural markets by supporting business development and acting as a facilitator between providers and investors. The program also promotes electricity services to rural communities to build large customer bases for expanding companies. Smart Power India also discusses policy with local and national government to align public and private interests. Fortunately, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government have prioritized expanding 24/7 electricity to all of the country’s citizens...