A Bright Cause With A Bright Future, Indeed.

THRIVE SOLAR ENERGY – PULLING HUMANITY OUT OF DARKNESS

Portable solar LED lighting is the most viable solution to dispel darkness in remote areas of the country (and the world). Thus, Dr. Ranganayakulu Bodavala (Dr. Ranga), Chairman and MD of Thrive Solar, and his team embarked on a journey to create lighting solutions suited to rural households and for children’ studies.

From its start in 2001, the NGO THRIVE worked relentlessly in the field of rural
health and education. However, during the course of its social initiatives, the NGO realized that lack of electricity is the biggest challenge faced by many rural pockets in India, and other under developed countries.

TO ALLEVIATE DARKNESS

As a result, between 2005 – 2007, several solar lighting projects were implemented by THRIVE, covering remote locations in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar, providing portable LED lights, which were sourced from contract manufacturers and outside agencies, to 10,000 tribal households in Orissa, and 5,000 households in Afghanistan and Cambodia through
support from award grants and UN agencies.

To overcome challenges caused due to sourcing issues in the solar equipment supply chain, Dr. Ranga decided to come up with a permanent solution and
incorporated the ‘for profit’ company, which is now known as Thrive Solar Energy Pvt. Ltd., in 2007, to fund the activities of the NGO, Thrive.

However, instead of replicating existing designs and technologies, the company invested time, energy and resources in developing its own simple, yet effective technology through the route of trial and tribulation. This persistence helped TSE in developing designs and technologies that support easy customization of solutions to counter challenges posed by different geographies. As a result, TSE’s premium quality yet affordable Solar LED lights became highly lucrative in the market.

A HELPING HAND – RENEWABLE ENERGY SOLUTIONS

Over the last decade, Thrive Solar has brought about continuous
improvements, modifications, use of new age materials and dynamic work processes to develop 20 types of high quality solar LED lights which are
ultraportable and most economical in the world.

TSE has deployed 2.48 million (growing monthly 150,000) portable lights and installed 23,428 home solar systems in India (under the govt. of India NABARD
schemes).
Now TSE is installing solar pumps to farmers and hopes to install around 250 solar pumps in the coming year. Apart from the above, thousands of solar street lights and mini home lighting systems have been installed across India.

TSE East Africa, through its factory in Nairobi, has provided nearly 243,000 solar lights in more than six African countries.

From providing lighting to 80% population in Manipur to being the first to reach out to the populace of Nepal devastated by an earthquake, Thrive has been working single-mindedly towards a brighter future for the world. The unique ‘One Child One Light’ initiative by Thrive aims at providing school children with a reliable, eco-friendly and safe lighting solution to enable them to study better. In recognition of its efforts, THRIVE won the Development Marketplace Award by World Bank in 2006 and Lighting Africa Award in 2008.

LIGHTING THE FUTURE

Today, TSE aims to create at least 100 Solar LED Lights Assembly Centers across India and some parts of Africa, providing employment to around 2,500 women and youth and 10+ million low cost portable lights to 2 to 5 million families. Partnerships with local NGOs and government support are key to success of this venture.

TSE has thus far cultivated strong relations with major academic institutions such as IIT Mumbai and Harvard University to millions of children and numerous households across India. In collaboration with Save the Children, TSE passed on the lights to disaster affected people such as the Nepal earthquake victims; and also provides solar power packs to schools in off-grid areas in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Orissa.

With a staunch belief that well-illuminated houses prosper on physiological, social and economical levels, TSE continues on its mission to eradicate gloom from the night-sky. Owing to several design patents, TSE is leagues ahead of its competitors. But its heart is at the right place, as it is evident by its mission of dispelling darkness from the world.