Simpa Networks Pay-As-You-Go Solar
Simpa Networks sells solar home systems to underserved rural consumers in India, unlocked through a pay-as-you-go model that uses SMS-based mobile phone payments in place of a meter reader or upfront cash sale. The Asian Development Bank backed the company with a USD 2 million equity investment in 2013.
Image credit
A road through rice fields at Shamri, Haryana, India. Rural country context; the photograph does not establish Simpa operations in this village.Location context · UnpetitproleX · CC BY-SA 4.0 · 2025 · Resized; display cropImage source ↗Licence ↗
OperatorSimpa Networks
EcosystemPay-as-you-go solar home systems
StandardNone
StatusActive
LocationRural India (state not named in the source)
Overview
Inside the project
The system uses a proprietary metering and payment system based on short messaging service (SMS), so customers can pay for solar power in small increments rather than a single upfront cost.
ADB's January 2013 project approval describes the investment as an equity stake from its ordinary capital resources.
2M USD
ADB equity investment
Objectives
- Provide simple, affordable and accessible solar energy to underserved rural consumers
- Replace meter readers and upfront cash sale with SMS-based mobile payments
Approach
- Customers pay for solar home systems in instalments through a proprietary SMS-based metering and payment system run on mobile phones, rather than a meter reading or a single upfront purchase.
Sources
Inspect 1 source
- adb.org ↗https://www.adb.org/projects/46931-014/main
Documented by one public source so far.
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