Renewable energy technologies are generally very expensive, especially solar energy technologies. As you cannot expect somebody to pay their electricity bill for the next 25 years in one shot, the Indian Government has introduced several schemes.

Aurore Projects and Services is a renewable energy service providing agency. It aims at progressively introducing renewable energy systems in India by interacting with product manufacturers, lease companies, subsidy givers and endusers.

"Renewable energy technologies are generally very expensive, especially solar energy technologies," explains Hemant, the 34-year old Indian executive. "As you cannot expect somebody to pay their electricity bill for the next 25 years in one shot, the Indian Government has introduced several schemes. For solar pumps, for example, there are direct subsidies up to 50% of the price of the pump- set, there are soft loans with 2,5% instead of the usual 14% interest, and there are income tax benefits in the form of 100% accelerated depreciation. And, if you can place a sufficiently large order, the manufacturers will give a discount.

For an individual farmer in Tamil Nadu or elsewhere in India, it is almost impossible to take advantage of all these schemes. But through our work, the farmer profits indirectly from all schemes and discounts, and gets a pump-set for a price far below what he would pay normally. We approach potential clients interested in the alternative technology and select a lease company that will obtain the subsidy, the soft loan and the income tax benefits. We select the products, and once we have this all agreed upon, we ensure the proper installation of the systems at the various sites."

It's a win-win situation for all involved. The farmer gets a pump below the costs he would pay otherwise; the manufacturers have the benefit of fairly large orders; the lease company has the advantages of subsidies, soft loans and income tax benefits; the government fulfils its policy; and for Aurore "there is the satisfaction that renewable energy is spreading all over India with solar pumps installed from Kanyakumari in the south, to Midnapur in West Bengal, to earthquake ravaged Bhuj in Gurajat, and to Firozepur on the border with Pakistan," says Hemant.