Schools in Bihar, India, can face challenges
getting a reliable and constant electricity supply
to power fans for cool classrooms
and drive water pumps for clean water.
But their challenge was not unique.
240 million people in India
have no access to reliable electricity.
Manoj Sinha was determined to make a difference.
Bihar sits in the rice bowl region of India,
where paddy and wheat are grown in abundance.
Manoj found a way to transform these husks
from waste to energy.
What we really liked about Husk is the fact that
they have a solution that sits within the community,
providing 24/7 power.
In 2018, Shell, along with investment from Swedfund,
a development finance institution, and energy firm ENGIE
invested 20 million US dollars in Husk Power
to enable the company to scale up.
And, with the supply of reliable electricity,
Husk Power has changed the lives of people in this region.
With Husk Power, schools in Bihar are now
educating young people and future leaders.
Husk Power is one example of how
Shell is working to meet its ambition
of providing a reliable and sustainable electricity supply
to 100 million people in the developing world by 2030.
Now that Husk has proven its business model,
I really see them having the opportunity
to definitely expand more deeply into Bihar,
where they’re operating in India right now.
With the power of sunlight and rice husks,
Manoj and his team have found a way to
sustainably power schools, homes and businesses,
improving lives now, and guiding customers
to a better energy future.