Webinars on Attaining and Sustaining Energy Access through Decentralized Solar Systems (12th April 2021 - 17th April 2021)
This webinar is organized by IIT Bombay and Boston College School of Social Work, as part of the MHRD funded SPARC initiative. Lectures were conducted using a web-based meeting platform (viz. Zoom).
Background
Approximately 1.1 billion people in the world have no access to electricity, out of which 244 million people live in remote, rural areas of India. The potential that off-grid solar photovoltaic technologies offer in providing a solution to the energy-deprived bottom of the pyramid rural communities is well recognized. Nonetheless, its adoption, continued use and uptake still remain a challenge. Since 2014, the Solar Urja through Localization for Sustainability (SoULS) team at IIT Bombay has been engaging with rural poor communities in multiple states of India. This flagship project has two key objectives: 1) to provide school-going children in rural poor households with off-grid solar lamps; and 2) to build entrepreneurial capacity and render training to rural poor households particularly women on assembly, distribution, maintenance, and manufacturing of solar products. Evidence from existing literature, the SoULS project in particular, and our similar ongoing research projects, it can be drawn that dissemination and implementation of off-grid solar technologies in poor communities is a function of complex interactions of social, economic, and technological sub-systems. Unpacking these sub-systems and exploring potential interventions merit a closer inquiry. This necessitates systems thinking in understanding factors impacting uptake of off-grid solar technologies.
This webinar is responsive to this need. The overall objective of this online workshop is to: 1) engage with leading and potential scholars on our previous and ongoing energy access projects particularly focusing on decentralized solar and its impact on well-being of poor communities in India; and 2) provide foundational exposure to system science approaches (community based system dynamics and personal network analysis), that have enormous potential in energy access research and intervention. The webinar will include modules on Social Network Analysis, Community based System Dynamics (CBSD), and Designing appropriate off-grid Solar solutions. CBSD is a participatory method used to engage communities and organizations in the exploration of complex issue. Egocentric social network analysis (SNA) or personal network analysis is a systems approach used to explore the structure and composition of social networks around an individual (or an organization). These concepts will be discussed using real projects on energy access [clean cooking and/or electrification.
Agenda & Schedule
| Session | Date | Topic | Speaker(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session 1 | 12/4/2021 | Energy access through decentralized solar systems: status, challenges, research (slides) |
Jayendran Venkateswaran (IITB) |
| Session 2 | 13/4/2021 | Community based system dynamics (CBSD) foundational concepts and case study of solar entrepreneurs in Gaya, Bihar (slides) | Jayendran Venkateswaran (IITB) |
| Session 3 | 14/4/2021 | Impact analysis of decentralized solar systems on community- case study of solar lamp project in India (slides) |
Deepak (IITB) Sayli Shiradkar (IITB) |
| Session 4 | 15/4/2021 | Personal Network Analysis - foundational concepts (slides) | Praveen Kumar (BC) |
| Session 5 | 16/4/2021 | Application of Personal Network Analysis- case studies (slides) | Praveen Kumar (BC) |
| Session 6 | 17/4/2021 | Energy Swaraj - an Essence of Sustainability (slides) | Chetan Singh Solanki (IITB) |
Modality
- The sessions were held between 5-7 PM India Time (which is 7:30am - 9:30am Boston Time same day); with a 1.5 hours lecture followed by interactions
- Certificates provided to regular participants
- All sessions recorded. The session videos can be accessed via YouTube.
Contact Person
Prof. Jayendran Venkateswaran
IEOR, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
E-mail: jayendran@iitb.ac.in
