"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"
Driven by a need and desire to carve a niche in the renewable energy sector, especially in terms of Off-Grid Solar Energy, RAL Consumer Products Limited (RCPL), New Delhi embarked upon its journey in 1973. Today it is one of the most-notable companies providing Off-Grid Solar products.
RCPL has made strides in the field of Sales & Marketing, Manufacturing, and Research and Development (R &D). At present, the company caters to approximately 5 lakh national retail and wholesale outlets ranging from a small rural grocery shop to any mega lifestyle mall such as hypermarkets, corporate houses, MFIs, government institutes, NGOs, CSR foundations and exports to several countries.
Many of our products are designed to ameliorate and resolve issues prevalent in various parts of the country. MITVA (a companion) offers a plethora of off-grid solar solutions to brighten up the lives of people in an eco-friendly sustainable manner. We believe in the adage ‘Actions speak louder than words’ and our products speak for themselves with their impeccable build quality, ease of use, and functionality incorporating the latest techniques and design principles available. Each product is tailor-made to fit end-user specifications without compromising on aesthetic appeal and eco-friendliness. Moreover, MITVA is a low-cost alternative for people without access to conventional means of lighting.
In India, nearly 8 crore households have no access to electrical power and lighting as per the 2011 census report in India alone. This is reflective of a larger global trend in which nearly 1.4 billion people are still living without this basic modern amenity. MITVA products act like true companions in the times of need by providing sustainable and bright lighting solutions, in areas, where there is an abundance of sunshine. Harnessing off-grid solutions further enhance outreach, allowing MITVA to empower and enrich the lives of a wide range of communities. At present, millions of global users are satisfied with MITVA’s solar products.
Solar products are great tools in the maintenance of a clean environment in a tropical country like India, which has year-round sunshine. Furthermore, they help in shifting the ambit of lighting away from fossil fuel based power to a sustainable model of lighting leading to a cleaner and brighter India.
As a testament to our performance, we hold an active membership of GOGLA (Global Off-Grid Lighting Association), Netherlands & CLEAN Energy Access Network. GOGLA is a global independent and not-for-profit industry association, with the mission to globally scale the off-grid lighting and energy solutions sector. Clean Energy Access Network is an all India representative organization launched in 2014 with a clear mandate to support, unify and grow the decentralized clean energy sector in India.
|
Mankind today is threatened due to extreme poverty and climate change. These issues are primarily influenced by increasing oil prices that are just making the poor, poorer and are increasing our dependency on non-renewable sources of energy. Therefore, science and technology are engaged in exploring alternative options in the field of renewable energy resources that will lead to the decreased emission of greenhouse gases, a primary culprit in causing global climate change. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 50% of the world's population has no access to electricity and they use fossil fuels for cooking and domestic activities. However, using biomass fuels like wood and kerosene is highly toxic and expensive and leads to indoor air pollution, impacting health and global climate. Indoor air pollution is also a leading cause of poverty, poor health, and gender equality issues and kills approximately 1.6 million people per year globally, out of which 85% are women and children under the age of five. Scientific studies have concluded that large-scale burning of fossil fuels is the primary cause of climate change as this activity pumps a large number of greenhouse gases like Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere. Moreover, destroying the forests to procure wood is depleting the sink that is needed to absorb the released Carbon Dioxide gas. Therefore, replacing carbon-emitting products like kerosene lamps with solar power, and reducing our dependency on burning wood and fossil fuels, we can definitely alleviate global warming.
Research has revealed that the kerosene lamp, used widely across many developing countries including India, is estimated to release over a ton of carbon dioxide over a period of seven years. Replacing these lamps with solar lanterns will lead to significant reductions in carbon emissions in India. Thus, promoting the widespread use of solar power for lighting the home is a step in the right direction, especially in developing countries where energy poverty is endemic and widespread in rural settings. This initiative would increase access to affordable electricity, thus reducing rural poverty and providing poor communities with a cheaper and a greener source of electricity.
PROPOSED SOLUTIONS:
SOLAR POWER:
Solar power is a clean and a renewable source of energy. Sunlight is used to provide cheap, reliable and a continuous supply of power for lighting homes during evening and this can help fight the widespread lack of electricity in rural India
COST SAVING:
MITVA products can completely eliminate the need for kerosene lanterns for household purposes- The cost saved can be significant for customers- as they generally spend 10 to 25 percent of their monthly income on kerosene oil.
INCOME GENERATION:
The bright and reliable light from our products aid income-generating activities such as farming and retail. A United Nations Development Program study demonstrates that household businesses with improved lighting have a 30 percent increase in income due to increased productivity at night.
BETTER STUDY ENVIRONMENT:
The poor light quality and the noxious fumes of kerosene lanterns hinder the ability of children to study effectively. Therefore, MITVA lights facilitate longer and more effective study hours, which directly lead to increased learning and higher test scores.
HEALTHY & SAFE HOMES:
Kerosene lamps contribute to indoor air pollution, and these are proven to have disastrous health effects, ranging from tuberculosis to cancer. Therefore, MITVA products are extremely safe and use super-bright LEDs that do not emit any pollutants and also easy to use.
Ms. Aradhana K Mahna (MD - MEPL)