Economy
Selling Solar Power in India's Slums
The country is fast outgrowing its electric grid. Are small-scale solar projects the solution?
Bangalore, INDIA — It's a little after sundown, and Arun Kumar is hawking his wares in the neighborhood for the first time. He's selling a light, just a small half-circle tied to a three-inch wide solar panel. An older man tests it in his home, a tiny hut of tarp and tin built like the 30 others in this far north side slum settlement. A kerosene lamp flickers inside.
At a second home, Arun wields his 1,600 rupee ($29.48) gizmo for a woman seated with nine children. He points out the small cell phone charger in the light's rear. The woman turns inside, pulling out her phone to consult her husband.