US firm plans to light up rural homes through solar energy

Duron Solar has announced its plans to expand into rural markets by serving families which have no access or have partial access to electricity.

After having conducted pilot tests for over one and half year in Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka, the Company has decided to set up service network in rural areas of Mangalore, Udupi, Shimoga, Dakshina Kannada, Uttar Kannada and Kodagu. The Company is now all set to spread its operations in five new States- Tamilnadu, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar and Rajasthan.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Duron Energy CEO and President Ajay Awasthi said that Duron Solar with its solar lighting solutions has brought in qualitative change in the lives of Beedi workers, who have been heavily dependent on kerosene lamps to roll beedis. In Dakshina Kannada district, the company has contacted Sri Kshethra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project through which many rural families have been able to purchase the Duron products on installment payment schemes.

Products

“The Duron Solar products are easy to use, portable, has longer battery life, has robust rural market centric design, battery level indicator, dim and bright light switches and has dust proofing and long lasting LED lights,” said Awasthi adding that the products available at present from Duron Solar are ‘Duron Breeze’ (48MH), which can run two LED lights, one DC fan, mobile charger, ‘Duron Lite’ (34MH), which can run three LED lights and mobile charger, ‘Duron Mini’ (21MH), which can run two LED lights and mobile charger and ‘Duron Mega’ (140 MH), which can power Netbook, mobile printer and peripherals like biometric devices.