Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
The energy system is not about supply and exports and generation and distribution. It's about how we use energy in our daily lives and workplaces. The so-called energy trilemma, affordability versus reliability versus environmental performance looks very theoretical in the boardrooms of an NGO or a consulting company. But it's not theoretical at all for someone struggling to run their life, do their job and pay their bills. What we need is a system focused on usage, not on supply.
Joining Michael on Cleaning Up this week is Harish Hande, a Bangalore-based social entrepreneur, co-founder and CEO of the Selco Foundation, which focuses on decentralized solar energy solutions for underserved communities.
A graduate of IIT Kharagpur with a master’s and PhD in energy engineering from the University of Massachusetts, Harish has over three decades of grassroots experience using sustainable energy to drive poverty reduction in rural India. In 2011, he received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for his efforts to make solar power accessible and affordable for the poor through innovative, livelihood‑linked energy services.
Leadership Circle:
Cleaning Up is proud to be supported by its Leadership Circle. The members are Actis, Alcazar Energy, Arup, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Cygnum Capital, Davidson Kempner, Ecopragma Capital, EDP, Eurelectric, the Gilardini Foundation, KKR, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, National Grid, Octopus Energy, Quadrature Climate Foundation, Schneider Electric, SDCL and Wärtsilä. For more information about the Leadership Circle, visit cleaningup.live
Links:
• The Selco Foundation: selcofoundation.org
• Impact Investing Has it Backward: nextbillion.net/impact-investing-backward-time-prioritize-needs-social-enterprises-not-just-investors
• How Solar is Saving 100s of Lives in Sierra Leone — Ep204: Project Bo: youtube.com/watch?v=z-5QjSfy2SM
• A Life of Energy Access and Inclusion - Ep20: Richenda Van Leeuwen: youtube.com/watch?v=8tyk1xcf7nQ
• What India Gets Right About The Energy Transition | Ep226: Dr Arunabha Ghosh: youtube.com/watch?v=qMrn-JewoCo
Chapters:
00:00 - Coming Up
04:00 - Who is Harish
11:20 - Redefining Energy Access
17:17 - Isn’t This Inefficient?
21:30 - Solar & Batteries vs The Grid
24:40 - Primary Energy
29:50 - How Is This Financed?
34:00 - Increased Productivity
38:30 - Unlocking Entrepreneurs
43:45 - Innovation & Scale-Up
47:00 - Bringing Healthcare to Millions
52:30 - Delivering Healthcare
59:00 - Next Steps
01:03:45 - Outro
The energy system is not about supply and exports and generation and distribution. It's about how we use energy in our daily lives and workplaces. The so-called energy trilemma, affordability versus reliability versus environmental performance looks very theoretical in the boardrooms of an NGO or a consulting company. But it's not theoretical at all for someone struggling to run their life, do their job and pay their bills. What we need is a system focused on usage, not on supply.
Joining Michael on Cleaning Up this week is Harish Hande, a Bangalore-based social entrepreneur, co-founder and CEO of the Selco Foundation, which focuses on decentralized solar energy solutions for underserved communities.
A graduate of IIT Kharagpur with a master’s and PhD in energy engineering from the University of Massachusetts, Harish has over three decades of grassroots experience using sustainable energy to drive poverty reduction in rural India. In 2011, he received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for his efforts to make solar power accessible and affordable for the poor through innovative, livelihood‑linked energy services.
Leadership Circle:
Cleaning Up is proud to be supported by its Leadership Circle. The members are Actis, Alcazar Energy, Arup, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Cygnum Capital, Davidson Kempner, Ecopragma Capital, EDP, Eurelectric, the Gilardini Foundation, KKR, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, National Grid, Octopus Energy, Quadrature Climate Foundation, Schneider Electric, SDCL and Wärtsilä. For more information about the Leadership Circle, visit cleaningup.live
Links:
• The Selco Foundation: selcofoundation.org
• Impact Investing Has it Backward: nextbillion.net/impact-investing-backward-time-prioritize-needs-social-enterprises-not-just-investors
• How Solar is Saving 100s of Lives in Sierra Leone — Ep204: Project Bo: youtube.com/watch?v=z-5QjSfy2SM
• A Life of Energy Access and Inclusion - Ep20: Richenda Van Leeuwen: youtube.com/watch?v=8tyk1xcf7nQ
• What India Gets Right About The Energy Transition | Ep226: Dr Arunabha Ghosh: youtube.com/watch?v=qMrn-JewoCo
Chapters:
00:00 - Coming Up
04:00 - Who is Harish
11:20 - Redefining Energy Access
17:17 - Isn’t This Inefficient?
21:30 - Solar & Batteries vs The Grid
24:40 - Primary Energy
29:50 - How Is This Financed?
34:00 - Increased Productivity
38:30 - Unlocking Entrepreneurs
43:45 - Innovation & Scale-Up
47:00 - Bringing Healthcare to Millions
52:30 - Delivering Healthcare
59:00 - Next Steps
01:03:45 - Outro
