1. Technical Seminar
10mins – introduce and explain the key factors that made project successful
5 mins – for discussion
Important: Bring out the technical highlights without losing the social service mission

2. Focus Participants What makes sustainable energy really work
University staff
PG students
Commercial practitioners
UK finalists
Should send it by 29th May

3. Technical Seminar Presented by DT Barki Chairman & Managing Director
NEST
Technical Seminar
Presented by
DT Barki
Chairman & Managing Director

4. We shall make electricity so affordable that only the rich will burn candles - Edison
My personal mission and NEST’s mission is to help make a kerosene-free world

5. Background Information
Hazardous nature of kerosene
Solar energy as a solution
The need is to address the need not greed
We started very small in 1998
We were alone in providing this light – this solution
I think we are still alone in this important endeavor
We believe that we can “serve the poor profitably”
Picture Source

6. Govt. subsidized (50%) solar lanterns is proving to a big burden to the poor people
Disagreement with self-serving government institutions
Addressing the greed did not help, will not help
Large Govt. efforts failed to match up to the small NEST.
The challenge with the govt. led us to a cost-effective solar lantern – fitting the pocket of the poor

7. What did we do
We made our lamp available, affordable, aesthetic, clean , non-hazardous, small and acceptable
The poor in India spend 1500 rupees for 18 months of kerosene – we give them flexi payable options
Our customers would not see light in another 100 years
It took three years of conceptualization, field study 1998 – 2001
We made our solution environmentally sound
And made in line with any other FMCG project
We created a dealer network and a retail distribution channel
“Sustainable energy in a sustainable business”
“Technology should also make good business – free money kills spirit to stand on own feet”
Reaching the un-reached : Padmaram Thanda (hamlet)
Mahbubnagar District, AP, India Unelectrified village

8. We made technology into a sustainable business
Created micro enterprise network in rural and semi-urban settings
Brand equity in rural areas, a unique achievement
Touching 50,000 solar lamps since 2001
75% of them in households in far-flung areas, untouched by electricity
AP’s Self-Help Groups

9. Most intriguing aspects of our achievement
Reaching areas untouched by governmental development programs
Going into areas that have active insurgency and extremism
People eat bug-less food with their little lamps
Children are studying
One village celebrated the birth of a girl into a life of light – first child in that solar village to be born in light (the lamp helped in the delivery too)
A new spirit injected into them – a new hope, a small new light

10. Thank you