Oorja Development Solutions Ltd has won the 60 Decibels' Energy Top Impact Award for Appliances. 60 Decibels announced this at the beginning of March. Oorja builds solar energy systems such as water pumps and cooling systems for farmers and entrepreneurs in rural India. This DOEN partner received the 60 Decibels award for having the most impact within the sector.
Access to energy for all
Off-grid energy solutions are one of the most effective ways to power the world's most remote and marginalised communities. Yet we are still not on track to achieve universal energy access by 2030. It is now expected that more than 660 million people are still in the dark. The Energy Top Impact Awards were created to honour and celebrate energy organisations making the most impact within the sector. They do important work to provide power to people in remote areas.
Solar power in rural India
Oorja wants to replace the use of diesel in rural India with solar power. One way they are doing this is by installing heat pumps and cooling systems for agricultural products in rural areas. Customers spend up to 20% less on the use of clean energy. They have reliable access to it and it's affordable because customers only pay for the energy they use. With the support of DOEN, Oorja has been able to scale up in recent years.
Maarten Derksen, programme manager at the DOEN Foundation: “We are extremely proud that Oorja has won the Top Impact Award. Their approach fills a clear need for affordable clean energy solutions in a potentially huge market.”
Report on the social impact of the off-grid sector
The awards are part of the report 'Why Off-Grid Energy Matters 2024', which 60 Decibels presents at the Transforming Energy Access Forum on the 15th of March. This is the world's most comprehensive assessment of the social impact of the off-grid sector (off-grid energy solutions) to date. Based on interviews with 79,000 off-grid energy customers, it identifies areas for improvement and opportunities for energy organisations and investors to help bridge the energy gap. DOEN funded part of the report so that local entrepreneurs, who normally do not have access to these impact measurements, can be included.
The DOEN Foundation supports Oorja and 60 Decibels thanks to players of the Postcode Loterij.
