Shubham Sethi

Across India, an estimated 800 million people are living without access to electricity, mostly in remote areas. Many families rely on harmful kerosene lamps and candles for light. Shubham, an enthusiastic electrical engineer, wants to bring clean, renewable energy to these communities by combining two concepts that begin with the word “micro”. Small-scale local wiring systems that aren’t connected to the main electrical grid — microgrids — provide neighborhoods with their own community-driven solar power. And because capital to cover the initial investment for such systems can be hard to obtain, microfinancing comes in, providing access to capital that wouldn’t be available through traditional banking, with longer payback times. Ultimately, Shubam — who was a COP27 youth delegate and has experience from NGOs to the corporate sector — is dreaming of renewable energy-powered microgrids providing electricity for all of rural India.