Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) and TP Renewable Microgrid Ltd (TPRMG), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Power have joined hands to launch an innovative programme that will see 1,000 green energy enterprises established throughout the country.
The initiative will foster sustainable entrepreneurship models across the nation leading to the empowerment of rural entrepreneurs, according to a statement on Tuesday.
Under the collaboration, SIDBI will provide entrepreneurs with a “Go REsponsive, ENterprise incentive (GREENi)” after they complete a TPRMG-organized capacity-building activity.
Through its PRAYAAS scheme or partner institutions, SIDBI will also assist in credit linkages to facilitate financing (loans) for setting up or expanding the businesses of rural entrepreneurs. To provide these rural businesses with quality, affordable, dependable and clean green energy (solar/wind/biogas), TPRMG will discover suitable entrepreneurs within its existing Microgrid network as well as in new geographies.
TPRMG will also provide rural enterprises with green energy solutions, and the technical know-how for maximising energy utilisation and conservation. The ‘Sustainable is Attainable’ program of Tata Power and the Empowering MSMEs campaign of SIDBI, are the driving forces behind this partnership.
Tata Power, through TPRMG, runs one of the largest Microgrid programs in the world and operates a solar-based off-grid generating plant with an energy storage system supplying power to remote areas of the country. The company plans to roll out 10,000 Microgrids in the near future. It has installed more than 200 Microgrids, many of which are present in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. A pilot Microgrid program is also being tried out in Odisha.
Microgrids are electricity distribution systems containing loads and distributed energy resources such as distributed generators, storage devices, or controlled loads that can be operated in a controlled, coordinated way either while connected to the main power network or while islanded.
The price of power from a Microgrid is around one-fifth of the price of diesel, making it an economical option for many people in rural India. Apart from households, TPRMG consumers in a village include shops, health centres / hospitals, schools/ colleges, banks, other commercial institutions and telecom towers, flour mills, oil expellers, rice hullers, bulk milk chillers, RO Cold water plants, etc.