As recent years have shown, social entrepreneurship in the developing world doesn’t have to come from philanthropic behemoths such as Google or Microsoft—they can start right at home in the grassy steppes, rainy jungles or dusty cities. Case in point: Sunlabob’s solar initiative in Laos, which has brought solar lanterns, panels and even entire grids to villages that have never before seen electricity.

Sunlabob Rural Energy Systems wasn’t always a supplier of electricity to the disadvantaged poor. The Laos-based company started out in 2001 supplying solar panels and electricity equipment to corporations and off-grid development projects. But somewhere along the way the company realized that, with more than 50 percent of Laotians living off the grid, the market for reliable electrical services in the rural villages was much larger than the market for the commercial projects they had initially focused on.

Indeed, the rural villagers cannot afford Sunlabob’s solar systems, most of which cost at least $500 (if only solar systems were so cheap here!). Instead of donating or selling their products, however, Sunlabob leases them out to households or groups of households. That way, the villagers can enjoy using electricity in their homes and walking around at night with the aid of solar-powered lanterns, with rental fee—in some cases as low as $3-5/month—being distributed among several people. As 74 percent of the Laotian population lives on less than $2 a day, these households’ newly-obtained electricity becomes not only affordable, but also a great step up from the kerosene or wood they used to use—if they could afford it.

To date, Sunlabob operates over 3,400 household systems, with 17 leasing franchises—which are composed of technicians who market, install and repair the solar systems—in eight of Laos’ 17 provinces. It started out with a $150,000 grant from the World Bank in 2005 to essentially subsidize 120 solar equipment units and train franchises in one province. Now, Sunlabob needs no outside subsidies to provide electrical services to rural Laotians.

I can’t tell you how profitable the venture is, but if you have more than 3,400 household systems running, with 17 franchises, then you’re probably doing something right. Of course, this model isn’t entirely feasible in the developed world—costs are higher, systems are bigger (we, dependent as we are on technology, need electricity to do more than just light our homes—we demand a lot of electricity to live happily) and infrastructures are different. If taking exams has taught me anything, it’s that it’s a easier to go from bad to good than it is to go from good to great.

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On June 30, 2008, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh unveiled the NAPCC, which outlines policies and programs that fall under the following eight foci, each of which is referred to as a “national mission”: solar, enhanced energy efficiency, sustainable urban planning, improved efficiency of water usage, conservation of the Himalayan ecosystem, reforestation (the National Mission for a “Green India”), sustainable agriculture, and improved climate science. Aside from these eight “national missions,” the NAPCC also delineates plans for shutting down inefficient coal-fired plants and requires various industries to commence energy audits, among other initiatives. The ministries responsible for each mission are obligated to submit comprehensive implementation plans to the Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change by December 2008.

Although the NAPCC is only a starting point, a massive outline of proposals and goals, it nevertheless includes guidelines and requirements that we can take to be the bare minimum of energy efficiency requirements—a seed from which countless improvements can grow. The National Solar Mission, for example, sets a target of 1,000 MW/year of photovoltaic production as well as at least 1,000 MW worth of solar thermal generation. The Indian government also hopes to increase solar use in “urban areas, industries and commercial establishments,” to establish a solar research center and to collaborate internationally on development of solar technologies, among other objectives.

India, which is located on the earth’s equatorial sunbelt, is an ideal place to employ such a mission. According to the NAPCC, this populous Southeast Asian country receives about 5,000 trillion kilowatts a year through solar radiation, with 1 percent of its land area capable of providing enough electricity for all of India until 2030. Indeed, it gives me cause to wonder why didn’t India take advantage of its solar resources earlier!

We’re currently witnessing the burgeoning growth of the solar market in China—let’s keep an eye trained on India as well. Not much has emerged from the woodwork yet—although apparently there are talks of the world’s largest solar farm being built in the state of Gujarat—but let us not forget the swift, government-aided growth of the Chinese solar market and how the success of solar thermal created one of the richest men in China today. With the new focus on expanding solar adoption and developing solar technologies in India, there are only opportunities ahead.

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