Title: Community level impact of solar entrepreneurs in rural Odisha, India: the rise of women led solar energy-based enterprises

Authors: Boidurjo Mukhopadhyay; Rodica Ianole

Addresses: University of Sussex Business School, University of Sussex, Jubilee Building 229, Falmer, BN1-9SL, UK ' Faculty of Business and Administration, University of Bucharest, 4-12 Queen Elisabeth Blvd., Bucharest, 030018, Romania

Abstract: Contemporary research in the area of renewable energy-based entrepreneurship has largely ignored studying the effects of women led solar businesses in a regional context, particularly rural areas. While there are studies recognising entrepreneurship as a key instrument in bringing in regional transformation and thereby development, very little insight has been provided to gain an understanding of solar entrepreneurship and its effect at regional levels. This research explores the community level impact of women led solar businesses by using an exploratory qualitative method and carrying out semi-structured interviews and participant observation on solar entrepreneurs in rural Odisha, India. The paper offers empirical analysis from discussions led by thematic analysis method that introduces the varied impact of women led solar entrepreneurship on rural Odisha and how that is evidently realised at various levels as well as time scales.

Keywords: solar entrepreneurs; renewable energy technologies; RETs; India; community empowerment; rural development; women entrepreneurs.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2021.114240

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2021 Vol.42 No.4, pp.472 - 503

Received: 12 Apr 2018
Accepted: 04 Dec 2018
Published online: 15 Apr 2021 *

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