Initiative

Smart Power India

Despite the enormous progress made in the past few years, millions of people in India continue to have insufficient and unreliable access to electricity.
The Challenge

Smart Power India and Rural Electrification

Smart Power India, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Rockefeller Foundation was created to support last-mile electrification in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand, three states with high concentrations of energy poverty.  By providing technical support to local renewable energy mini-grid companies and promoting an ecosystem for local enterprises to thrive, this institution has emerged as a recognized center of excellence for rural electrification. Over the last six years, Smart Power India has been field-testing new technologies and business models that can take decentralized renewable energy from an off-grid alternative to a mainstream component for widespread rural electrification.

Our Work in Asia
  • 494villages

    in India are provided electricity access

  • 469thousand+

    people impacted

  • 25%

    increase in electricity consumption (before & post Smart Power program Households)

  • 50thousand+

    overall customer

  • 26thousand+

    shops, commercial users and micro-enterprises

  • 21thousand+

    tons of CO2/year reduction in carbon emissions

Poverty and energy poverty go hand in hand. Our president, Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, met with community members who show how energy empowers. We are thrilled to work together with Tata Power in India to take this technology to scale.

Recent Updates

Feature

India has made significant strides in achieving widespread electrification, connecting more than 750 million people over the last two decades. However, the electric power consumed per capita in India is 75% less than average per capita electricity consumption globally, and the number is even lower in rural India. Many parts of the country continue to struggle with […]

More
Nov 07 2014
Blog Post
Beyond the Grid: Solar Power for Everyone
More
Jul 08 2020
Human Impact
Entrepreneurs Use Solar Power to Sew Masks and Provide Comfort
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Apr 02 2020
Blueprint
Using Data to Bring Light to the Last Mile
More
  • Report

    Smart Power for Rural Development: Overview

    With a commitment of $75 million, The Rockefeller Foundation will launch Smart Power for Rural Development to promote sustainable business models that deliver renewable electricity and spur economic development among poor, underserved rural populations. The initiative will focus on India, where the Foundation is establishing a new organization that will partner with energy service companies (ESCOs), telecom tower operators, […]
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