An Assessment of Lighting a Billion Lives Program in Karnataka

TERI's 'Lighting a Billion Lives' initiative envisions toprovide clean and affordable source oflight to un-electrified or poorly electrified villages of India through the establishment of energy enterprises (solar charging stations). An assessment study was conducted to understand the impact of solar charging stations (SCS) on the social dimension of the SCS entrepreneurs and user families. It is evident that the solar lanterns, have replaced kerosene lights as the preferred source of lighting during times of grid power cuts in the villages studied, and the users perceive various indirect social benefits.