In 2024, the SET Alliance launched the first-ever Efficiency-as-a-Service (EaaS) Innovation Showcase Award, inviting global innovators to share impactful ‘as-a-service’ business models that drive energy efficiency, decarbonisation, and social value. The competition attracted outstanding submissions from around the world, each demonstrating how service-based energy models can accelerate the transition to cleaner, more inclusive energy systems.
After a competitive selection process, the SET Alliance proudly recognised three standout winners. Among them is Oorja Development Solutions, whose Irrigation-as-a-Service model is making a substantial contribution to Indian agriculture.
Oorja empowers smallholder farmers with an innovative approach to irrigation and agricultural support. At the core of their mission lies the provision of affordable, reliable solar-powered irrigation systems coupled with comprehensive agronomic expertise, all delivered through a convenient and accessible pay-per-use model, coupled with a membership fee. This innovative framework tackles critical challenges that have long affected smallholder farmers in the country, including the persisting issues of unreliable electricity grids and a heavy dependence on expensive and polluting fossil fuels.Â
Thanks to its Irrigation-as-a-Service model, Oorja enables access to a sustainable and reliable irrigation solution requiring no upfront costs for the installation of the system.
Oorja assumes responsibility for the entire process, from financing and deploying the cutting-edge solar infrastructure to providing ongoing maintenance and support. This allows farmers to dedicate their full attention and energy to what they do best: cultivating their crops.
The services offered by Oorja extend beyond irrigation, encompassing essential activities such as milling and comprehensive training in climate-smart agricultural techniques. This holistic approach ensures that farmers are equipped with the knowledge and tools they need to adapt to changing environmental conditions and maximise their yields. A particular emphasis is placed on empowering marginalised communities, ensuring that the benefits of Oorja’s transformative initiatives reach those who need them most. Oorja’s work is already showing impressive numbers, with substantial clean energy generation, a significant reduction in diesel consumption, and considerable cost savings for farmers, all contributing to more sustainable and prosperous livelihoods for local communities.
Oorja’s Irrigation-as-a-Service model stands as a powerful testament to the potential of servitisation models to drive agricultural progress and uplift communities with sustainable energy technologies.
