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Distributed
Renewable Energy (DRE) Transforming Rural Women’s Life

To boost their companies, rural Indian women are embracing clean energy-based livelihood innovations. Distributed renewable energy (DRE), from
solar refrigerators to silk-reeling equipment and biomass-based cold storage to bulk milk chillers, is revolutionising women’s livelihoods at the local level.

Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) – what is it?

DRE is the term used to describe the production and distribution of electricity using small-scale, decentralised systems and renewable energy
sources like sun, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass. These systems are frequently put in place in isolated or rural places where
connecting to a centralised power grid is difficult or expensive.

Individual rooftop solar panels, small-scale wind turbines, mini-hydro systems, and biomass generators are all examples of DRE systems.

They are typically designed to serve a single household or community, rather than a large urban or industrial center.

DRE systems are also known as off-grid or mini-grid systems, and they can be standalone or connected to a larger power grid.

Recent Statistics

More than 80% are women: A recent Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) study has shown that out of the 13,000 early adopters of clean tech livelihood appliances, more than 80% are women.

Future projection: By 2030, India is expected to see 30 million women-owned micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) employing around 150 million people. DRE livelihood technologies a $50 billion market opportunity in India alone have the potential to transform rural livelihoods, with women at the core of this transition.

Advantages of DRE systems

Several advantages: They are more resilient to natural disasters and grid failures, they can reduce energy costs for communities and households, and they can increase energy access in areas that are not served by the main power grid.

Reduce carbon emissions: Additionally, DRE systems can reduce carbon emissions and help to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

DRE advantages for women: DRE-powered technologies provide an additional advantage to women farmers and microentrepreneurs by enhancing income opportunities through mechanization. They also free women from several gender-assigned manual activities that are laborious.

Steps to scale up this impact

Leverage the experience of early women adopters: The technology providers must leverage early users to share their experiences with potential customers, becoming demo champions/sales agents to market these products, based on their first-hand product experience and local credibility.

For example: Kissan Dharmbir, an energy-efficient food processor manufacturer, engaged Neetu Tandan, an Agra-based micro-entrepreneur using the processor to produce fruit squashes and jams, as a demo champion. Her demonstrations are generating sales leads.

Organise hyperlocal events and demos: These events also create spaces for women to network, become aware of the product and connect with people who can help them procure, finance and use these machines.

For example: At an event in Hamirpur, Uttar Pradesh, more than 200 women booked seven appliances on the spot, including solar sewing machines and multi-purpose food processors.

Enable easy finance to purchase products: Limited avenues to avail financing for these clean technology products remain a bottleneck. Financiers
supporting women farmers and microentrepreneurs should consider the technologies themselves as collaterals while easing the loan application
process.

For example: Samunnati Finance, a financier in the agri-value chain, availed an 80% first-loan default guarantee to support six women-led FPOs in
Andhra Pradesh that purchased 100-kg solar dryers.

Support backwards and forward market linkages: Only technology provision is not enough in all cases. Many rural products have larger market potential. Thus, finding and connecting producers to consumption hubs in urban areas are equally important to generate higher incomes.

Ensure adequate after-sales services buy backs: Technology manufacturers and promoters should also ensure adequate after-sales services and buy-backs. To build financiers’ confidence, evidence on the economic viability of these technologies should be shared and promoters must offer partial default guarantees.

 PMI suggests Services activity hit 12-year high

India’s services sector’s Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) increased to 55.3 in February. Due to a growth in employment and new business orders, the PMI for the services sector has reached its highest level in 12 years.

Purchasing Managers’ Index

A measure of business activity in both the manufacturing and service sectors is the PMI.

S&P Global compiles the India Services PMI based on responses to questionnaires distributed to a panel of about 400 service-related businesses.

It is a survey-based measurement that inquires about changes in respondents’ perceptions of various important business variables from the
previous month.

A composite index is created after it is individually calculated for the manufacturing and services sectors.

How is the PMI derived?

The PMI is derived from a series of qualitative questions. Executives from a reasonably big sample, running into hundreds of firms,
are asked whether key indicators such as output, new orders, business expectations and employment were stronger than the month before and are asked to rate them.

How does one read the PMI?

A figure above 50 denotes expansion in business activity. Anything below 50 denotes contraction.

Higher the difference from this mid-point greater the expansion or contraction.
The rate of expansion can also be judged by comparing the PMI with that of the previous month data.

If the figure is higher than the previous month’s then the economy is expanding at a faster rate. If it is lower than the previous month then it is growing at a lower rate.

Recent trends in Services PMI

For the 19th straight month, the headline figure was above the neutral 50 mark, denoting expansion.

There was substantial moderation in cost pressures as input prices increased at the slowest pace in almost two-and-a-half years and output charge
inflation softened to a 12-month low.

Still, capacity pressures remained mild and jobs rose only marginally.

World Bank Index on Life Cycle of Working Women

The article discusses India’s ranking in the World Bank Index for the working woman’s life cycle.

The World Bank’s Life Cycle of Working Women Index

It is a tool created by the World Bank to assess and monitor the development of women’s economic prospects and involvement throughout the course
of their lifetimes.

It is based on a series of metrics that track things like laws and policies influencing women’s access to finance, gender-related workplace violence, and
harassment.

Starting a job, During employment, and After employment.

Each category includes a set of indicators that measure the specific challenges and opportunities faced by women at different stages of their
careers.

The purpose of the index is to provide policymakers and stakeholders with data and insights that can be used to inform policies and programs aimed at improving women’s economic opportunities and outcomes.

The index is updated periodically to track progress over time and identify areas where more action is needed.

India’s performance

India has scored 74.4 out of 100 in the World Bank Index on the life cycle of working women, which measures factors like laws, regulations, and practices affecting women’s economic participation.

This score places India at 140th out of 190 countries surveyed in the index.

Issues highlighted

India has made progress in certain areas, such as maternity benefits and anti-discrimination laws.

There are still significant gaps in areas like equal pay and access to finance.

The report also highlights the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women’s economic participation, with many women facing job losses and reduced hours of work.

Key recommendations

The report concludes by recommending actions that can be taken to improve women’s economic participation, such as-

Increasing access to childcare

Promoting flexible work arrangements and

Addressing gender-based violence and harassment in the workplace

 Yellowstone NP celebrates its 151st anniversary

Many people believe Yellowstone National Park to be the first national park in the world, and it recently celebrated its 151st birthday.

Yellowstone National Park

It’s a sizable protected region largely in the state of Wyoming in the United States, but it also includes parts of Montana and Idaho.

It was created in 1872 and is largely regarded as the world’s first national park.

It covers an area of nearly 9,000 sq km and is made up of mountain ranges, lakes, canyons, rivers, and famous geothermal features like the Old Faithful geyser.

Yellowstone National Park’s main attributes and attractions include:

Geothermal features: Yellowstone is famous for its geothermal features, including geysers, hot springs, mud pots, and steam vents. The most famous of these is Old Faithful, a geyser that erupts on a regular schedule.

Wildlife: Yellowstone is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including grizzly bears, wolves, bison, elk, and moose. Visitors can see these animals in
their natural habitats throughout the park. Scenic drives: The park has several scenic drives, including the Grand Loop
Road, which takes visitors to many of the park’s major attractions.

Fishing: The park has many rivers and lakes that offer excellent fishing opportunities, including the Yellowstone River.

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