$50-bn market opportunity for RE-powered livelihood appliances: Report

A $50-billion market opportunity exists for clean energy-powered livelihood appliances to boost India's rural economy, especially among women, according to a report

A USD 50-billion market opportunity exists for clean energypowered livelihood appliances to boost India's rural economy, especially among women, according to a report.

In India, more than 75 per cent of all female workers are employed in agriculture and agri-allied industries such as food processing and livestock.

With the help of decentralised renewable energy (DRE) technologies which are capable of mitigating intermittent electricity problems and introducing mechanisation, the rural women will be able to improve their productivity, according to the 'Unlocking Sustainable Livelihood Opportunities for Rural Women' report conducted by the Powering Livelihoods -- a CEEW and Villgro initiative.

The report showcases several models to mainstream women in tech-enabled livelihood opportunities using distributed renewable energy-powered technologies as a case study.

"Powering Livelihoods has helped more than 13,000 end-users using programme-supported DRE livelihood technologies, out of which more than 10,400 (80 per cent) are women in increasing their income and facilitating them with the employment latitude," the report claimed.

The report captures detailed insights from more than 700 end-users, out of whom 70 per cent of women experienced a 33 per cent increase in income on average, and 92 per cent of women said that their business knowledge and skills have become more relevant, the report said.

So far, at least 30 women have received collateral-free, low-interest financing, unlocked through the programme's effort. More financiers' commitments are underway to provide easy financing to women DRE users and women-led farmer producer organisations, the report said.

However, India's GDP has the potential to grow by 18 per cent just by providing equal work opportunities for women by 2025, but women face myriad challenges to realise their full economic potential such as lack of opportunities, and cultural barriers.