Sebastian Groh has built the world’s first peer-to-peer solar energy-sharing company, with the potential to upend how we view electricity consumption and distribution.
The first thing you notice about the box is how small it really is.
If you are of average build, the white box fits snug in your hands, say the length of both your palms put next to each other. It isn’t much to look at, though, which is a shame. Not when you’ve flown and driven thousands of kilometres in anticipation to see it in flesh and blood, in a modest brick house, 500 km northeast of Dhaka. There it sits, next to nothing on the wall, attracting no attention to itself. Except when it is in use, and a tiny, green light flashes to tell its owner that the box is doing its job. An ingenious task which, in the world of accomplished boxes which hold equally complicated feats of human engineering, no other box can claim to do.
The SOLshare box lets you buy or sell electricity. From within the four walls of your home by the press of a button. Press: Buy. Press: Sell.
It is the world’s first peer-to-peer energy-sharing system, designed for
Divya Siddarth is a researcher focusing on building, testing and studying impactful technology in India. She is particularly interested in the future of work, digital democracy and cooperation and collectivization. She’s also equally invested in musicals, sunsets, skateboarding and the perfect cup of chai. She has worked with organizations such as Microsoft Research and the Digital Civil Society Lab at Stanford.
dsiddarth1@gmail.com
Ashish is the editor-in-chief of The Morning Context. One of the best-known business feature writers in India, he was selected for Germany’s Robert Bosch Stiftung Fellowship in 2012 and received the Mumbai Press Club RedInk certificate of recognition in 2015 for his story “Inside the Network 18 takeover”. Before joining The Morning Context, Ashish co-founded The Ken, where he was managing editor. His previous writing stints include Mint, Forbes India and The Economic Times.
Editor-in-chief
ashish@mailtmc.com
Mumbai