Rockefeller Foundation Refutes Washington Post Story On India’s ‘Dysfunctional’ Mini-Grids

Last week, July 31st to be exact, a story in the Washington Post on India’s rural solar mini-grids grabbed a lot of attention. Authored by Karishma Mehrotra, the paper’s South Asia correspondent, the story headlined “India joins rush to renewables, but its rural solar systems fall off grid” was a clear indictment of India’s solar push in rural areas. Quoting figures provided by SmartPower India, an org of the Rockefeller Foundation, the story pointed out that “About 4,000 solar mini-grids have been installed in India, of which 3,300 are government financed and owned, according to information collected early this year by Smart Power India, a subsidiary of the Rockefeller Foundation”. It went on to add that only 5% of such government backed grids were operational.

Expectedly, the story raised quite a stink, with detractors quick to latch on to it to criticise the government. However, we were a little surprised considering how the (Rockefeller) foundation has been at the forefront of championing mini-grids in India, something that was strongly iterated as recenly as June by senior functionaries of the foundation to us during a field visit to view just some of the successful mini-grids. In this case, in Uttar Pradesh. Moreover, mini-grids continue to be a key pillar of the government’s plans to provide 24×7 power for all.

Now, with pressure no doubt on to clear the air, the Foundation came out with a strong rebuttal of the Post story on August 3, claiming that the article misses context completely, and since a letter sent to clarify the same has not been published, the foundation has clarified its stand on the issue in a series of tweets.

Two days ago, we submitted a letter to the editor about this article making clear it not only misses context but also the real facts. Unfortunately, the @washingtonpost has yet to print it or even respond. https://t.co/Wa6cwCPai5 1/8

— The Rockefeller Foundation (@RockefellerFdn) August 3, 2023

The foundation stresses for instance that these first-generation solar systems were degraded because they were made redundant by an aggressive rural electrification effort launched in 2016 by the current government, that achieved almost 100% electrification.It highlights how Companies such as Husk Power System, OMC Power, Tata Power, Hamara Grid etc have raised over $150M of private capital, operating over 1,000 mini-grids that serve homes and entrepreneurs in rural India with reliable, productive-use clean energy. Indeed, it adds that far from failing, the Indian model offers learnings that need to be replicated worldwide in relevant markets and regions. Even players like Husk Power have taken to social media to stress that the issue of falling into disrepair is more a feature of state mini-grids, rather than those backed by the centre. One reason why the government/s welcomed the involvement of private sector firms in the sector. 

The clarification will hopefully pacify some in the government who will have been incensed by what they see as a clear case of misinformed reportage, and not lead to any long term issues in working with the Rockefeller foundation. Readers will be aware that the foundation has sought to expand the scope and reach of its impact by launching GEAPP, in partnership with the Bezos fund and Ikea Foundation, with an even more ambitious scope and plans for the developing world.

In India, while the government has clearly played the key role in supporting mini-grids or micro-grids so far with policy and some funding, there is zero doubt about the role played by orgs like the Rockefeller foundation in enabling the development of an ecosystem by providing funding, skills and models while taking on the risk of failure. One certainly hopes that the Post story will not lead to any rupture in this partnership.