Business that makes a difference.
Change is Needed.
Rajasthan is rich in both culture and history. “The land of Maharajas” has been settled as long as the Indus valley. Colorful traditions grew into what many foreigners picture when India is mentioned: breathtaking architecture, vibrant clothing, spicy food, and most importantly welcoming people. Atithi Devo Bhava, roughly translated as “treat a guest as you would god,” is one of the principles of their culture, and it is why the directors of ASAK have found such a brotherhood there. It is why they feel it necessary to change the fortunes of the state.
Rajasthan despite its strategic location between India’s two largest cities, ranks 25th in manufacturing among the States and Union Territories. According to business and economic development leaders, a major concern is the cost of energy and its unreliable nature in Rajasthan. Rajasthan has the highest electricity rates in the nation, with an average price of 8.3 INR/kWh. Additionally, most power is generated from fossil fuels and therefore intermittent. On visits to ASAK’s power purchasers, a power shortage or brownout almost always occurs. As a result, these manufacturing facilities shut down and convert to their diesel generators which are expensive to operate and maintain. The true cost of electricity for their facilities, according to our customers, is 12 INR/kWh. This project alone could more than half that cost.
On top of these savings our project will help remove 75,000 pounds of CO2, 47,500 pounds of SO2, and 51,250 pounds of NOx. Our customers will prosper not only in savings, but in health.
Sustainable Impact.
The need for jobs and reliable power for industry, homes, and schools is immense. Locating the project in this town will have a significant positive effect on the area’s economic sustainability. No land is being taken out of production. 350 jobs alone will be created for Phase I, in an area where 1 in 5 is out of work. Through the provision of power and associated water supplies, jobs will become a source of growth and pride for the local community.
ASAK is dedicated to hiring a local workforce. They must be educated on solar industry construction, operation, and maintenance. Presently, there are few in the immediate community that meet this standard and as a result, ASAK has committed to an educational program in the local schools to develop a workforce for the 21st century that is inclusive and supports self-reliance and equity no matter their caste, education level, or economic condition. All are welcome. ASAK will focus on recruiting its workforce from these ASAK-supported schools.
ASAK will also be sharing profits with the Barefoot College, a world-renowned school for developing solar power in rural communities around the globe (http://www.barefootcollege.org/). This college works with women, particularly grandmothers, to teach them how to build solar panels and batteries that can be returned to their rural community for everything from lights in hospitals, wells, fans, internet for schools, and the myriad of uses needed by villages with little or no access to power. To date they have served over 2,000 villages in 95 countries impacting the lives of over 2,000,000 people
