

Smart Power India, a prominent mini-grid provider in India, hosted a webinar in partnership with The Rockefeller Foundation and Power For All to underscore the importance of women’s leadership in accelerating energy access. Capacity development initiatives and a gender equity focus are needed to ensure that mini-grid power sustains livelihood improvements for all.

However, energy services alone will not yield sustained livelihood benefits. The development of reliable off-grid solutions presents an opportunity to embrace distributed renewables and improve energy reliability.ĭistributed solutions, such as solar mini-grids, can help reduce energy poverty, boost electricity demand, create jobs, and complement national electrification efforts. Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy Raj Kumar Singh stated at the virtual dialogue, “it will require strong political commitment and innovative ways of expanding energy access, promoting renewable energy and increasing energy efficiency.”ĭespite the tremendous progress in electrification, energy poverty and poor energy quality remain persistent challenges in many rural villages across India, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. India, one of 20 Global Champions on energy access, was a convening leader during last week’s UN High-Level dialogue on Energy. A newly released case study, Creating Jobs and Income: How Solar Mini-Grids Are Making a Difference in Rural India, highlights the importance of solar mini-grids in accelerating energy transitions and creating jobs in India. To deepen the discussion on the role of women, leaders came together for a virtual roundtable to highlight opportunities in energy access, including mini-grids. Equity was another key focus of the UN dialogue, with women and low-income communities at the center of the clean energy transition in India and around the world. During the UN High-Level Dialogue on Energy 2021, India highlighted the urgent need for energy access for all.
