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Adoption of solar home lighting systems in India: What might we learn from Karnataka?

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  • Harish, Santosh M.
  • Iychettira, Kaveri K.
  • Raghavan, Shuba V.
  • Kandlikar, Milind

Abstract

Karnataka has been among the most successful markets for solar lighting systems (SLS) among Indian states. In order to understand the dynamics of systems adoption and operation, that have fostered market based adoption of solar lighting, we interviewed rural households from six districts that had purchased solar lighting systems using loans at market rates, the rural banks that provided loans and the solar firms that marketed the technology. We found that a large proportion of households in our sample were connected to the grid but chose to install solar lighting because they considered the power supply from the grid to be unreliable. Households in our sample reported savings on electricity costs and reduced kerosene usage for lighting. In addition to providing credit, banks also play a key role in ensuring good service and maintenance; the viability of the SLS market is thus critically dependent on the role that the banks play as intermediaries between consumers and solar firms in rural areas. Government programs should be carefully designed to match the incentives of firms, banks and consumers if the successes of the ‘Karnataka model’ are to be repeated and amplified.

Suggested Citation

  • Harish, Santosh M. & Iychettira, Kaveri K. & Raghavan, Shuba V. & Kandlikar, Milind, 2013. "Adoption of solar home lighting systems in India: What might we learn from Karnataka?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 697-706.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:62:y:2013:i:c:p:697-706
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2013.07.085
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    3. Irfan, Mohd & Yadav, Sarvendra & Shaw, Krishnendu, 2021. "The adoption of solar photovoltaic technology among Indian households: Examining the influence of entrepreneurship," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    4. Xavier Lemaire, 2018. "Solar home systems and solar lanterns in rural areas of the Global South: What impact?," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 7(5), September.
    5. Bensch, Gunther & Grimm, Michael & Huppertz, Maximilian & Langbein, Jörg & Peters, Jörg, 2018. "Are promotion programs needed to establish off-grid solar energy markets? Evidence from rural Burkina Faso," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 1060-1068.
    6. Dutt, Dwarkeshwar & Ranjan, Abhishek, 2022. "Towards a just energy transition in Delhi: Addressing the bias in the rooftop solar market," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    7. Tinta, Abdoulganiour Almame & Sylla, Ahmed Yves & Lankouande, Edmond, 2023. "Solar PV adoption in rural Burkina Faso," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(PB).
    8. Urpelainen, Johannes & Yoon, Semee, 2017. "Can product demonstrations create markets for sustainable energy technology? A randomized controlled trial in rural India," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 666-675.
    9. Nathanael Ojong, 2021. "Solar Home Systems in South Asia: Examining Adoption, Energy Consumption, and Social Practices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-16, July.

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