INDUSTRY SURVEY 2018

Indian solar PV off-grid sector for a sustainable energy transition

- The role of technical innovations for improved performance

There is a lively industry in India providing electricity access for millions of people living off-grid in India. These companies are innovative in finding new technical solutions and in utilizing them in resource-constrained settings and bringing affordability in service. At the same time, the technologies have to comply with a variety of quality requirements and changing user needs.

Meet me or let’s setup a call

As this is a very important and topical matter, I am looking for enthusiastic people to interview. If you are a practitioner, engineer, entrepreneur or other expert in this field, please don’t hesitate to contact me for an interview. I can arrange a Skype meeting or a telephone interview, or discuss via email, or you can meet me at the India Energy Access Summit 2018 in Monday 12th - Tuesday 13th of February in New Delhi.

There is also a possibility to meet me during the couple of days after the event.

Survey and interviews

This survey sheds light on the technical system innovations in the off-grid sector in India. These innovations may have played an essential role in bringing functionality, cost-effectiveness, reliability, efficiency or other benefits. Innovativeness may have been applied e.g. in component or system unit selection and design, control and distribution, demand-side, user interface, supply-side, metering, installations practices, materials selection etc.

Key technical interest lays on photovoltaic (PV) centered pico-grid, mini-grid and micro-grid systems.

This is mainly a technical study. The target is to understand the role that technology plays in providing sustainable energy services in remote off-grid areas in India in longer term. Other factors (economic, social, policy, environmental, practical) will be discussed, too, as they are inseparable part of the business environment.

The interviews are semi-structured and will be conducted either per Skype connection or in person. Thank you for your participation!

To participate email me: sini.numminen[a ]aalto.fi

Details

For whom: Indian off-grid utilities, practitioners, engineers, entrepreneurs, NGOs, decision-makers and experts.
Time frame: February-March 2018
Results: The data will be analysed qualitatively and quantitatively in March-May 2018 and published in a form of a research article. All participating individuals and companies will be sent a copy of the main results and research findings.
Confidentiality: It is possible to remain completely anonymous. All responses will be treated with a 100% confidentiality.

Disclaimer

This is an academic and independent project. The study is not engaged with any single company or interest group. The supervisor of the project is Professor Peter D. Lund from Aalto University. The funding for the study is coming from from the Tiina and Antti Herlin Foundation in Finland via a PhD grant to myself.