| Grameen
Shakti meaning ‘rural energy’, has pioneered
a successful model for rural electrification through solar
energy. Since it’s inception in 1996, GS has installed
20,000 solar home systems in remote rural areas of Bangladesh.
Total power generated is one mega watt with zero carbon emission.
The power is usually used for home lighting after dusk and
recreational purposes, like watching TV, listening to music.
GS was incorporated in 1996 for promoting renewable energy
technologies in Bangladesh. GS has opened 80 unit offices
countrywide to promote renewable energy and to serve its clients.
|
“Energy
Globe Award 2002” Received by Managing Director
of Grameen Shakti |
GS
encourages it’s customers to use the system for extending
their working hours for income generation activity. At present
small entrepreneurs are taking the opportunity of SHS and
are using it for mobile phone charging, fish hatcheries, lighting
for diesel operated rice mills, saw mills, tailoring shops,
grocery shops, hotels, etc. GS also allows its customer to
sell power to the neighboring shops. Children’s education
and other household activities have been facilitated through
SHS. Women are happy because of hassle free lighting system.
They can use their idle time for productive uses like sewing,
poultry farming, handicrafts. GS has trained up more than
600 technicians in rural areas to support the backup service
of it’s clients, some of them have become full time
employees of GS and the rest of them are working as free lance
solar panel technicians.
GS
has received the “Energy Globe Award 2002” from
Austria in 2002 and “EUROSOLAR Prize 2003” from
Germany in 2003. Grameen Shakti has been selected outside
Europe due to its social and environmental commitment and
has achieved this recognition for poverty reduction efforts.
Soft
financing policy of GS
Success behind GS model is its innovative financing schemes
and community involvement at grass root level. GS financing
features are as follows:
Mode-1
Customer has to pay 15% of the total price as down payment
during installation and remaining 85% of the cost is to be
paid by monthly instalments within 36 months, including 12%
service charge.
Mode-2
The customer has to pay 25% of the total price as down payment
and remaining 75% of the cost is to be paid by monthly instalments
within 24 months, with 8% service charge.
Mode-3
The customer has to pay 15% of the total price as down payment
during installation, and remaining 85% of the cost including
10% service charge is to be paid by 36 post dated cheques.
Mode-4
4% discount is allowed for all cash purchase.
Future
plans
GS has planned to instal 100,000 SHS within 2008. It is also
trying to explore applications of other renewable resources
like wind, hydro and biomass. |
