Project details
1607 ยท Microloans for solar lamps + water filters
  • Countrywide, India
Enabling women in at-risk communities to make the transition to clean energyThe project enables women microentrepreneurs in rural areas of India to access funding for solar lamps and water filters and helps to build supply chains in remote regions. The women use these products for both their businesses (e.g. solar lamps to extend the opening hours of a small shop) and their homes (e.g. providing clean drinking water for family members). The money saved on fuel enables the women to repay the loans. Organised in self-help groups, the women meet regularly to support each other, monitor satisfaction, and encourage the use of clean energy products. Each group has a clean energy leader who manages after-sales support in case the products need servicing or repair. Some women work as clean energy demonstrators, travelling to nearby villages to educate others about the benefits of the new products. In this way, they enable more women to take the first step on their clean energy journey.
How microloans for solar lamps and water filters contribute to climate action

Lighting kerosene lamps and boiling water over an open fire to make it safe to drink are still common practices in rural India. But both practices are environmentally damaging and can lead to fire, injury, and respiratory diseases. Many energy-efficient products are often expensive or difficult to access in remote areas, making projects like this one especially necessary.

Solar lamps replace kerosene lamps by using sunlight to generate their electricity. Water filtration systems use filters to mechanically clean contaminated water, eliminating the need to boil water. The use of both products significantly reduces carbon emissions and can alleviate pressure on local forests as less firewood is needed. For local people, the benefits go beyond carbon reduction: better indoor air quality prevents respiratory diseases and families can save time and money with the reduced need for fuel or firewood. Solar lamp and water filter projects in the ClimatePartner portfolio are registered with these international standards.

Contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
No PovertyThe use of solar lamps and water filters improves the standard of living of local people, and they save money in the long term.
Clean Water and SanitationThanks to the water filters, 12,055 households had access to clean drinking water in 2022.
Affordable and Clean EnergyWith efficient energy products such as solar lamps, microloans provide access to renewable energy. Products such as water filters save energy as they replace boiling water on open fires. Thanks to the project activities, 81,357 households had solar lamps and 14,452 households had water filters in 2022.
Decent Work and Economic GrowthBy 2022, the project had created 50 jobs.
Climate ActionThe project saves about 44,960 tonnes of carbon emissions per year (about 10,950 through the use of solar lamps instead of kerosene lamps and about 34,010 through the use of water filters).
Project standardGold Standard VER (GS VER)TechnologyMicroloans for solar lamps + water filtersRegionCountrywide, IndiaEstimated annual emission reductions44,964 t CO2Validated byEarthood Services Private LimitedVerified byEarthood Services Private Limited