Bengalureans beat space crunch by investing in digital solar power

Suraj Vallamkonda, 29, bought a new electric scooter as a step towards reducing his carbon footprint and tackling climate change. But when he plugged it in to recharge, he realised he was using fossil fuels to power his scooter, not green energy.

One solution, he knew, would be to install solar panels on his rooftop. But his home terrace, with its thriving herb garden, did not have enough space for panels, so he decided to invest instead in “solar biscuits”, or portions of panels in an existing system.

Vallamkonda tapped into solar power produced miles away via a start-up business that helps meet individuals’ clean energy needs at home with power produced by solar panels mounted on big malls, schools and other sites across India.