Pay-Per-Use Solar Kiosks Bring Clean Power to India’s Last Mile in 2025 | SolSetu
Pay-Per-Use Solar Kiosks Bring Clean Power to India’s Last Mile in 2025
In 2025, compact pay-per-use solar kiosks — modular rooftop or standalone units with small batteries and multiple charging ports — are spreading across peri-urban and rural India. These kiosks provide reliable phone charging, LED lighting, appliance sockets and low-cost pay-per-use services where grid quality is poor or cash liquidity is limited.
How the model works
Operators install a compact PV array, a small lithium battery, a smart meter and a user interface (QR / token / RFID). Customers pay small fees to charge phones, run lights, or power small appliances. Kiosks often double as neighborhood service points — offering phone top-ups, small commerce refrigeration or EV two-wheeler charging in larger setups.
Why communities benefit
- Immediate access to reliable power for communication and commerce.
- Lower household energy spend compared with kerosene or generator use.
- Local entrepreneurship: kiosk operators create livelihoods and maintenance jobs.
Vendor & operator checklist
- Design modular PV + battery kits that are plug-and-play for fast deployment.
- Provide simple, interoperable payment methods (UPI, QR, prepaid tokens).
- Offer a clear warranty and local maintenance SLA to ensure uptime.
- Include data telemetry for usage reporting and subsidy claims where applicable.
Funding & scaling models
Kiosks scale fastest when vendors combine CAPEX financing, micro-credits for operators, CSR grants, and DISCOM partnerships for hybrid grid-connected setups. Aggregators that manage fleets of kiosks centrally can optimise charging schedules and battery replacements, improving unit economics.
