This story originally appeared in our December 17, 2011 e-magazine. Click here to subscribe.

A report by the Centre for Development Finance and the World Resources Institute estimates India’s rural market potential for clean energy at INR 97.28bn.

The Centre for Development Finance and the World Resources Institute estimate that the rural market potential for clean energy is up to INR 97.28bn (US$2.11bn*) annually. The Power to the People report, released last September examines the potential market for clean energy in rural India.

Based on extensive field research, the authors of the report break down the market potential for four areas of clean energy: decentralized renewable energy: biomass and small hydro, solar home systems, solar lanterns and energy-efficient cookstoves.

The report does a great job of condensing important information into comprehensive and easy-to-read charts. One such chart lays out the pricing, potential, competitive advantages, business models, challenges and opportunities for all four areas. » Continue reading “How to Electrify Rural India”

By Geetanjali Shahi, a Researcher at the Centre for Development Finance

Beyond Profit’s recent article, “Is India Really a Hotbed for Social Enterprise?” discusses how India is experiencing a boom in the social entrepreneurship space and most of the case studies on successful social enterprises are from India. This should not come as a surprise, as these are the responses to problems the country is facing. » Continue reading “Demand Estimation Should be a Social Enterprise’s First Step”

By Pooja Rani Bhatia

The number of companies considering themselves social enterprises has dramatically increased in the past ten years, and has become the “new” thing this season. Although oft misunderstood simply as “do-gooders,” socially driven ventures promoting market-based approaches are actually making a bigger splash than ever, especially in the drinking water space. In a recent study on consumer perceptions and demand dynamics of filtered drinking water, the Rural Market Insight (RMI) team at Centre for Development Finance (CDF), in partnership with Sarvajal, winner of the Sankalp 2010 Awards, identified five key factors that underpin the biggest issues facing today’s social enterprises such as sustainability and scalability. » Continue reading “5 Ps To Make A Social Enterprise ‘P for Perfect’”