Free-ing Power
Manoranjith came to Thoppumpady in Kochi a decade ago and started ironing clothes for a living. He toiled for years with coal-fired iron to save some money. Then, he took a small loan, rented a shop in a housing colony, bought five electric irons, and employed seven workers. Despite enough work, he ran into losses. Power bills were high and workers idled for hours due to long power cuts.
Things changed when an oil company executive introduced him to an LPG-powered iron. It cost only ₹7,000 per box with a five-kg LPG cylinder that lasted two-three months even if used for 8-10 hours daily. Now, he is making profits. This is a perfect example of how frugal innovations in energy use can change lives, says an energy expert.
After decades of starving for electricity, India is now aspiring to provide quality, cheap, uninterrupted power to all citizens. Though it has been able to liberalise the
