Solar energy has been in existence since the inception of this universe. Unfortunately, 70 % of solar energy is wasted and to use this energy mankind is putting up lots of efforts to invent new technologies that are affordable, less complex and could be implemented easily.
The Man
Lakshey Sehgal, a young engineer from Delhi did several jobs in renewable energy sector before funding his own company, Spektron Solar Private Limited. His company provides training for those who are thinking to start a business in solar plant installations. The training gives an insight into intricacies involved in the installation of solar plants.
During training, the trainees are given the details about the technicalities involved in the installation of the solar units like the orientation of the panels, quality of the products and potential issues that might arise during or after the installation of the solar panel units. The trainees are provided with necessary tools required for the installation and are briefed about various aspects related to solar energy like government policies, laws, and right pricing methods.
As Lakshey Sehgal puts it “I saw a lack of trained manpower when I joined this sector for the first time. There was a lack of awareness around using advanced technology and installing newer products. At the same time, there was a lot of push from the government’s side to increase the use of solar energy in rural and urban households. This led to an increase in demand. Now, many private entities are entering the field. They are putting in money and setting up businesses to install solar power panels or work in the sector in some way or the other. But many of them are doing it wrong.”
The Inspiration
Lack of skilled manpower in the renewable energy sector in India, lack of awareness among people about utilizing advanced renewable energy and governments initiatives to encourage the use of solar of energy through various schemes inspired Lakshey to start a business on his own.
The Market
Presently he is focusing on small towns for one obvious reason: frequent power cuts. He believes that if the service provider provides these services at the local level then it would be beneficial for both the consumer and the service provider. This sector is labor intensive and hence skilled manpower is required for after-sales service requirement as well.
Many big companies in this sector are not really keen on expanding their base in the rural area and this encouraged him to equip the people in rural India with the necessary skills and awareness. He thinks that economic feasibility and long-term benefits of using the solar energy will encourage consumers to use solar energy.
The renewable energy technologies can be used effectively and efficiently to provide solutions to the energy crisis. This is only possible if these technologies are available at reduced capital costs and skilled labor is available for after sales service. We hope organizations like Spektron create a conducive atmosphere for the growth of these technologies.
Lakshey is optimistic about the future. He says “It is a vast field. One can be anything from a manufacturer to an installer. The person can be someone who wants to install a solar manufacturing unit or someone who is just selling solar TVs or lanterns. But the problem comes when you want to be a solar installer. The installer has to buy products from different companies and fit them in a proper way as a solar plant in someone’s house. A lot of things can go wrong during the installation.”
