Nuru Energy: revolutionizing energy production

Nuru Energy has revolutionized efficient and economical means of energy production. Thus far Nuru Energy has attained the funds to invent two new pieces of technology. 

The first and more famous is the NuruPOWERCycle. The power cycle generates up to 20 minutes worth of light with the requirement of 60 rotations of human pedaling. It is more efficient than solar panels by more than 100 percent. Since the POWERCycle is not affected by the weather, it can be recharged and stored anytime, anywhere. 

The second invention by NuruEnergy is the ultra-portable and rechargeable LED task light. This creation rules out one very specific product: the kerosene lamp. The kerosene lamp is popular in rural India however is also popular for creating poor health and a bad atmosphere. Nuru energy has therefore created an alternative for a major segment of India’s population, as well as in an affordable manner.

In energy entrepreneur lingo there is such a thing called “energy poverty.” Energy poverty is the absence of energy, and it exists among 2 billion people in the world. Despite the global war against pollution and CO2, the developing world is lucky to have light at the flick of a switch. Especially when compared to more societies in the developing world that have even in the year 2013 lived in off-grid areas with no energy. Lack of light means lack of opportunity, prosperity and higher responsibilities like governance. Nuru Energy not only finds solutions to reduce India’s degree of poverty but also does so in a nature-appreciating fashion.

  

Since inception, Nuru Energy has seen kerosene usage reduce by 35-40% per month. India’s rural has seen village entrepreneurs increase their income by 60% due to their decision to operate on Nuru technology. Thus far in its lifespan, Nuru energy has manufactured 10000 Nuru lights and have positively impacted the lives of consumers in 30 villages. The company has more innovative products to come and is seeking to increase tie-ups with non-profits, and corporations to reach out to more consumers.

“We have 2 lights at home. My mother previously had to use a kerosene lamp to cook and the smoke had given her a bad cough. She now uses the Nuru Light and her cough has improved” – A Nuru Customer.

Name: RamanaBhatra
Location:Hathikhamba Village, Rayagada District, Odisha
Age: 13
Family: Mother, Father, 1 Brother and 1 Sister
Nuru customer since: September, 2011
Services used: Light charging
Closest entrepreneur:Ranjan Lima
Use (hours per night): 4
Previous spending on kerosene (per month): $2
Savings (per month): $0.80
Biggest impact: “I now have a light to study with!”

To know more visit http://nuruenergy.com/

Iliana Foutsitzis is a recent graduate of Northeastern University's Political Science curriculum. Before embarking on a law degree Iliana is spending a gap year in New Delhi, India interning with the Niiti Consulting team.

Sea change?

There was a week in the beginning of January when Delhi was colder than London!! And in Europe, train services and airport operations came to a grinding halt because of a prolonged freezing weather. Climate change? Perhaps.
What comes as a sea of change is in the attitude of many emerging economies towards this issue, the blow-hot blow-cold opinions on Kyoto protocol notwithstanding. There is a very interesting story in a recent edition of The Economist on the seriousness with which the world's largest economy presently views this topic.
The fact that the world order is perhaps shifting from being acutely unipolar has never been more evident that at Cancun, where largely due to India’s efforts, references to “equity” and “equitable access to sustainable development” were included in the “Shared Vision for Long-term Cooperative Action” to mitigate climate change. Also, a Cancun Adaptation Framework was agreed upon. It exhorts developing countries to prepare and implement national adaptation plans and at the same time, calls upon developed countries to provide finance, technology and capacity building support for the same. The objective of the Cancun Adaptation Framework is to enhance action on adaptation, including through international cooperation and coherent consideration of matters relating to adaptation under the Convention. Ultimately enhanced action on adaptation seeks to reduce vulnerability and build resilience in developing country.
The best way any country can build resilience and reduce its carbon imprint is to find alternate energy options that are scalable that would offset the increasing energy consumption.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol draw a clear distinction between the respective obligations of developed and developing countries. Since developed countries are primarily responsible for causing climate change, the protocol lays down binding emission reduction commitments for each developed country party. Quite appropriately, developing countries are not required to accept such commitments. Their mitigation actions are of a purely voluntary nature (and rightly so) and they are not accountable to any international authority, except in regard to projects that receive financial support from such an authority.
But we have an opportunity to make a big difference through small changes. Question is how fast will these changes happen?