Title: Linking up: inclusive business models for access to energy solutions at base of the pyramid in India

Authors: Sandeep Goyal; Mark Esposito; Amit Kapoor; M.P. Jaiswal; Bruno S. Sergi

Addresses: Management Development Institute, Mehrauli Road, Sukhrali, Gurgaon – 122007, Haryana, India; Institute for Competitiveness, U 24/8, DLF Phase 3, Gurgaon – 122 002, Haryana, India ' Grenoble Ecole de Management, 12, Rue Semard, 38000, Grenoble, France; Programme for Sustainability Leadership, Center for Economic and Public Policy, University of Cambridge, 1 Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 1QA, UK ' Institute for Competitiveness, U 24/8, DLF Phase 3, Gurgaon – 122 002, Haryana, India ' Management Development Institute, Mehrauli Road, Sukhrali, Gurgaon – 122007, Haryana, India ' University of Messina, Via Consolare Pompea, 1, Messina, Italy; Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University, CGIS South Building, 1730 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

Abstract: The lack of access to clean, reliable and affordable energy solutions for meeting the basic needs for electricity and cooking has created a big barrier in the socio-economic development of the 400+ million people living across India in rural areas. Realising this as a challenge, Selco, Husk Power Systems and D.Light designed and implemented innovative business models to bridge the demand-supply gap. The purpose of this research study is to undertake an in-depth analysis of three self-sustainable business ventures, which designed and implemented self-sustainable business models to enable access to affordable energy solutions for the underserved poor population in rural India.

Keywords: base of the pyramid; BoP; energy needs; renewable energy; gridless energy solutions; low income markets; emerging markets; India; business models; rural areas; poor population; affordable energy; poverty.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBG.2014.062843

International Journal of Business and Globalisation, 2014 Vol.12 No.4, pp.413 - 438

Published online: 26 Jul 2014 *

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