Meet GES Delegate: Sishir Garemella
Name: Sishir Garemella
Twitter handle: @sishirgaremella
Country of Origin: India
Organization Name: Sunvest Energy Private Limited
Organization Website: www.sunvest.in
Brief Description of Organization: Sunvest is a Mumbai-based rooftop solar company focused on residential and small commercial markets in urban and semi-urban India. We provide a comprehensive solar solution, which includes customer acquisition, installation, utility permissions, financing, and after-sales service, ensuring that the customer speaks to only one entity. We believe that rooftop solar, akin to a consumer product, will be owned by every building in the years to come. With the advent of Net metering regulation for solar — the ability of the roof owner to sell power back to the electricity utility — potentially any roof can go solar.
What inspired you to start this organization? Like healthcare and education, accessibility to affordable power is a basic human need, crucial in eliminating poverty and creating a level playing field in the society. India has lots of sunshine and I believe rooftop solar is best positioned to address the present challenges of energy security.
What is the next big step you hope to help your organization reach? Our short term goal is to reach 100 installations as soon as we can. We believe this will create a strong proof of concept for others to follow.
What has been your biggest obstacle as an entrepreneur? Consistency in regulations across various states in India will be helpful for a strong uptake of rooftop solar.
What advice would you give other emerging entrepreneurs? Believe in yourself. There are too many avenues of information and advice is readily available from all quarters. I would urge you to listen to everyone but at the end, trust your gut. Great things are built on belief, and you are the master of your fate!
