SELCO Solar Light Pvt. Ltd. is a for-profit social enterprise based in

Bangalore Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. SELCO has played an instrumental role in improving living standards of poor households in rural India especially in the state of Karnataka through

solar energy Solar energy is radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed using a range of technologies such as solar power to generate electricity, solar thermal energy (including solar water heating), and solar architecture. It is an essenti ...

based interventions and low smoke cook stoves. In recognition of the services towards reduction of the gap in access to energy, SELCO has been awarded the prestigious

Ashden Awards Ashden is a London-based charity that works in the field of sustainable energy and development. Its work includes the annual Ashden Awards, advocacy and research in the field of sustainable energy, and mentoring and practical support for award w ...

(also known as the ''Green Oscars'') twice, in years 2005 and 2007. SELCO India was founded in 1995 by Dr. Harish Hande an alumnus of IIT Kharagpur with INR 15,000 funding from its co-founder Mr. Neville Williams. SELCO India has installed solar light systems in 350,000 houses till date. Selco Foundation's e-shala (e-school) project takes education to children in rural areas, mostly in areas where power supply doesn't exist by using a solar-powered power storage device, LED projector and tablet loaded with content.

History

In 1995, the two partnered to found SELCO as an energy services company focused on meeting the needs of people lacking adequate access to energy. Initially, SELF took a majority stake in the new company, with Williams as Chairman, while Hande retained a minority shareholding position and the role of Managing Director. SELCO India eventually came into being in 1995 under the leadership of Hande and Neville Williams, president of Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF). Financial backing was received in December 1996 from Winrock International which released a conditional loan of $150,000 under the

USAID The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government that is primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance. With a budget of over $27 bi ...

Renewable energy commercialization Renewable energy commercialization involves the deployment of three generations of renewable energy technologies dating back more than 100 years. First-generation technologies, which are already mature and economically competitive, include b ...

project. This was however on a condition that SELCO INDIA created couple of solar service centers and install a minimum number of systems. SELCO started with a financial model in which each customer would pay 25% of the cost upfront as down payment and will further pay a monthly installment which is affordable and within the average monthly budget of a family in the region. Along with this, the SELCO INDIA also provided a year's guarantee to the warranty of the manufacturer along with free service for a year and a 90-day money back guarantee. The loan to Winrock was paid back by 2000.

References

External links

Selco India
{{DEFAULTSORT:Selco (India) Companies based in Bangalore Solar energy companies of India Indian companies established in 1995 Renewable resource companies established in 1995 1995 establishments in Karnataka

History

See also

References

External links