October 25, 2007

Q: In 2006 Grameen Bank won the Nobel Peace Prize, now Grameen Shakti wins a prize being dubbed the "Alternative Nobel Prize". What do you think of this and what is the big difference between Grameen Bank and Grameen Shakti?

A: As an organization belonging to Grameen Family we were delighted when Grameen Bank won the Nobel Prize in 2006. This also inspired us to strive harder with our goal of reaching the rural people with renewable energy technologies. However, Noble Peace Prize was given to Professor Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank in recognition of their contribution for developing and implementing the innovative concept of micro-credit for poverty alleviation. This had no direct impact on recognizing the activities or contribution of Grameen Shakti as a separate organization. On the other hand, Right Livelihood Award recognizes Grameen Shakti as of one best model for promoting renewable technologies to the rural people of all classes. This is a tremendous achievement for us.
     

Q: Why do you work with solar home systems and not with other technologies?

A: Though Promotion and Installation of Solar Home Systems is our biggest program, we are also working with biogas plants and Improved Cook Stoves. Around 2000 biogas plants and more than 3000 Improved Cook Stoves have been constructed, as of September 2007. We have also initiated a Tree Plantation Program. We started with Solar Home Systems because at that time this was the most important and suitable technology for us to adapt and install at the rural level. In the rural areas, people are deprived of electricity. We thought SHS can play a very effective role in bringing green electricity for better lighting for their children's education, women can work and cook under improved light. They can watch television and listen to radio and increase their work hours and women can take part in home-based income generating activities after dusk.

At the end of 2005, we started our biogas program and in 2007 we started our Improved Cook Stoves Program.  


Q: Do your villagers know how important projects like this are to prevent climate change? Or are they only interested in having electricity and power supply and do not actually care about where this come from?

A: Yes, villagers are aware about the positive impact of the renewable energy technologies, they are using. Grameen Shakti (GS) has been proactive in developing awareness about renewable energy technologies, which includes information on health, economic and environmental benefits of using renewable energy technologies. Demonstrations are organized and leaflets distributed among villagers by GS Engineers at the field level. Villagers are also provided one day training on the use and impact of renewable energy technologies, when they install Solar Home Systems or construct biogas plants or Improved Cook Stoves. Grameen Shakti has also taken up a program to teach rural school children about renewable energy technology and its impact on the environment. More than 5000 rural school children have received exposure under this program.    


Q: Women as technicians - this is a much more progressive idea than many western companies would think of. Where does this idea come from? 

A: Grameen Shakti like Grameen Bank has always been proactive in involving women in its programs. In this regard, Grameen Shakti has employed women engineers both at the head office and the field level, whenever possible. We found that in many cases women were better than men in fabricating solar accessories, installing, repairing Solar Home Systems and other related activities including developing awareness about renewable energy technologies and forging linkages with local communities.   

Grameen Shakti has also always taken initiatives to promote renewable energy technologies among rural women by organizing demonstrations for them and training them on how to use and take care of the systems installed at their households. 

Women are the main victims of energy crisis. They are the ones who suffer most from indoor air pollution, drudgery and other negative impacts of the energy crisis most rural communities face around the world. We at Grameen Shakti believe that women should be transformed from passive victims into active forces of good to bring changes in their lives and the communities in which live. That is why the concept of Grameen Technology Centers (GTCs) came about - the concept of transferring technology and knowledge to rural communities through their women. These GTCs would train rural women to be technicians who would promote, install and repair Solar Home Systems and other renewable energy technologies on behalf of Grameen Shakti. In this way, rural women would develop their self- confidence and at the same time get income generating opportunities to show their communities a way to solve the energy and environmental crisis they are facing.     


Q: Is Grameen Shakti a Bangladesh only program?

A: Currently Grameen Shakti is a Bangladesh only program. However we are looking forward to replicating our experience in other parts of the world. We have been already contacted by several organizations in Asia and Africa for this purpose. Many of them have visited GS and are planning to send additional staff for training and exposure. 


Q: What are / were your major obstacles?  

A: At the initial stage our main problems were lack of rural network, little awareness of renewable energy technologies, lack of trained personnel and financial resources.  Grameen Shakti has faced all these challenges successfully to develop one of the largest and fastest growing renewable energy technologies programs in the world.

Grameen Shakti plans to install one million Solar Home Systems by 2015. In order to achieve this goal we need to scale up and decentralize our activities at the local level especially fabrication, repair and maintenance of Solar Home Systems so that we can reach our clients with our services at minimum cost and least time. Our local GTCs have already started assembling SHS accessories with the help of locally trained women technicians. These women technicians have also started marketing, installing repairing and maintaining Solar Home Systems on their own. We hope to accelerate this and link up these women technicians with micro-credit to develop RET (Renewable Energy Technology) entrepreneurs at the rural level. These RET entrepreneurs will help us to expand and penetrate new markets for Solar Home Systems including other renewable energy technologies at minimum costs and also contribute to women empowerment. For example, many of these women technicians are not only promoting Solar Home Systems, they are also promoting and constructing Improved Cook Stoves successfully to their communities.   

GS is also taking steps to diversify its products such as promoting LEDs, CFLs (compact fluorescent lamp) for energy-efficient lighting and small Solar Home Systems to reach low-income households. GS is also taking initiative to construct portable biogas plants and bottle biogas in cylinder. In famine hit areas of Bangladesh, GS has taken the innovative step of providing livestock to low income households for constructing biogas plants and given them the option to pay back through livestock or slurry. GS biogas plants have become popular among livestock and poultry owners who are using biogas for cooking, lighting and in many cases to generate electricity.

GS is also hopeful that micro-credit organizations and financial institutions will come forward to provide credit to its clients thus leading to further scaling up of its program. 

Another major obstacle faced by GS is the rising price of solar panels and batteries.  GS is seeking joint ventures to assemble solar panels and batteries to solve this problem. Though Bangladesh Government subsidizes grid electrification, RET Organizations like Grameen Shakti does not enjoy any tax break. There is also huge tariff on import of raw materials needed for manufacturing solar accessories.