CSR: Using Solar Energy To Combat Light Poverty
With the non-renewable energy resources extinguishing at an alarming rate, while the demand for energy increasing even faster, it is time to explore alternate energy options. We have been blessed with tremendous energy sources that are natural and available for free which we fail to utilize productively. Sun is a huge example for that.
Sun is a constant source of energy available for every individual. There is innovation and technology already in place to save this energy to reuse it later. The diminishing non-renewable sources make it a privilege for poor to have electricity. Switching to solar would not only help in reducing the electricity poverty but also enlighten the lives of the people living below poverty line.
Working on cue, the government of India has installed solar street lights in Khariya Sodha village in Pali district of Rajasthan. Shri P.P. Chaudhary, Hon’ble Minister of State, Law & Justice and Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India, inaugurated these lights underscoring PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) India Foundation’s commitment towards the underprivileged section of society that has limited access to reliable electrical lighting.
This is a welcome move as the Hon’ble Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, observed at the World Economic Forum, that India has a strong focus on renewable energy sources.
“We are always looking for opportunities to help communities with their most basic needs. With this view in mind, we decided to provide public lighting to villages in Pali and hope that this initiative addresses safety concerns, is able to enhance the lives of the local community and make solar lighting a more acceptable way to eradicate light poverty,” said Jaivir Singh, Vice Chairman, PwC India Foundation.
Expected to benefit over 5000 individuals, the project is part of the Foundation’s corporate responsibility initiatives that aims to enhance public lighting facilities in an environment friendly manner in six villages, across Pali district.
The draft National Electricity Plan Dec 2016 predicts that 57% of the total electricity capacity in India will come from non-fossil sources by 2027. Non-fossil consists Hydro, Nuclear and Renewable Energy Sources.
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The CSR Journal Team
