Solar-powered electronic products will now be available at retail stores across the country. These stores will sell varied products ranging from solar water heaters to solar powered calculators, caps with fans that run on solar power, solar power storing batteries and inverters.
Bangalore-based Anu Solar pvt ltd, a leading manufacturer and seller of solar products, will open 2,000 stores across India on franchisee basis. “These will be called ‘one-stop experience stores’ as the store and all the office equipments will also run on solar power, in order to show the public, the use and benefits of solar power,” said TJ Joseph, managing director, Anu Solar.
The government wants to encourage the use of solar energy but currently there are no private retailers for solar products. The ministry of new and renewable energy has been promoting private entrepreneurs to open ‘Akshay Urja shops’ to sell and promote solar products but since 2002, only 300 shops have been established across the country and a good number of them are not functioning and there is no shop in the capital.
“We want the public to experience the power of solar and also raise awareness for the same,” said Joseph. For Delhi, Joseph said there was an expression of interest from a client who plans to open 40 retail stores. The company plans to make at least 20 stores operational by the end of the year, including one each in Bangalore and Madurai by September.
With an investment of around Rs 25 lakh per store, the turnover expected is Rs 6 crore per year per store. By the end of the current financial year, the company hopes to open 50 stores. These stores will sell a variety of products at MNRE subsidised rates.
