The Social Entrepreneur Podcast

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**The Social Entrepreneur Podcast**

Social Entrepreneur exists at the intersection of profit and purpose. We tell positive stories from underrepresented voices, focused on solutions.

Latest Episodes:

130, Kathleen Colson, The BOMA Project | Poverty Graduation through For-Profit Entrepreneurship Nov 25, 2016

Show notes

129, Martin Burt, Fundación Paraguaya | The Poverty Stoplight Nov 23, 2016

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128, Steph Speirs and Steve Moilanen, Solstice | Solar for All Nov 21, 2016

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Solstice provides access to clean, affordable solar energy for those who have been locked out of the solar market.

Today’s conversation with Steph Speirs and Steve Moilanen of Solstice is the fifth in a series on solar power and clean energy around the world. We spoke with Sam Goldman of d.light, a pioneer in solar energy for the developing world. We also spoke with Allison Archambault of EarthSpark International. They provide pre-pay electricity through a mini-grid in Haiti. We spoke to Harrison Leaf of Steama.co who helps mini-grid operators utilize “the internet of things,” wireless connectivity and a platform, primarily in Africa. We heard from Clementine Chambon, Amit Saraogi of Oorja. They are working on rural electrification in India utilizing a hybrid solar and biomass system. Today, we speak with Steph and Steve about why Americans are locked out of inexpensive solar energy and what it is that they are doing about that.

How big is the problem? Almost 90 million American households cannot access solar power. Some are renters. Others live on low incomes. Still more live in homes that do not have sufficient direct sunlight. Whatever the reason, millions of households cannot access clear, affordable solar energy…until now.

Solstice is transforming the market, using community shared solar. Through Solstice, anyone can subscribe to a solar garden, saving money and the environment at the same time.

Social Entrepreneurship Quotes from Steph Speirs and Steve Moilanen

“Solar is cheap enough that everyone can save money using it.” Steph Speirs

“Sixteen states that allow for community solar, but the Department of Energy thinks it’s going to be a $16 billion industry by 2020.” Steph Speirs

“One of the benefits of community solar is how easy it is.” Steve Moilanen

“Think of it like a community garden, but for clean energy.” Steve Moilanen

“The number one reason why anyone signs up for solar is because they have a friend or neighbor that went solar.” Steph Speirs

“Solar is contagious in personal networks.” Steph Speirs

“We’re creating viral communities around community solar.” Steph Speirs

“You can switch to clean energy and save money on your electricity bill from day one, at no up front cost.” Steph Speirs

“I realized I didn’t have to be halfway across the world to work on energy equity issues.” Steph Speirs

“In America, the people who need solar savings the most are currently the least likely to get it.” Steph Speirs

“We’re never going to mitigate climate change unless we get more people access to clean energy.” Steph Speirs

“The set of thing that you are expected to be competent at as a first-time entrepreneur, is daunting.” Steve Moilanen

“We probably got rejected from twenty grant proposals before we got our first influx of money through the Echoing Green fellowship.” Steph Speirs

“Entrepreneurs don’t have good days and bad days. They have good hours and bad hours.” Steph Speirs

“We want to switch 50,000 households to solar by 2020.” Steph Speirs

“In starting something, make sure you’re picking a battle that’s worth fighting.” Steve Moilanen

Social Entrepreneurship Resources:

Solstice: https://solstice.us
Solstice on Twitter: https://twitter.com/solarforgood
Solstice on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/solarforgood
Solstice on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solarforgood

127, Clementine Chambon, Amit Saraogi, Oorja | Rural Electrification of India Using Waste Nov 18, 2016

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Oorja's biomass and solar-powered micro-grids provide affordable and reliable electricity to off-grid communities in rural India.

In India, 450 million people lack access to reliable energy. This has several repercussions including a lack of economic development, poor health outcomes, gender inequity, poor education and more. Without reliable electricity, villagers rely on fossil-fuels such as kerosene and diesel. They spend up to 20% of household income on these dirty sources of power.

At the same time, people in rural India produce 200 million tons of crop waste per year. This waste is usually burned in the field, producing greenhouse gasses.

Clementine Chambon and Amit Saraogi met in a Climate-KIC workshop in 2015. They developed the business model for Oorja during that workshop. Since then they have worked with and interviewed hundreds of people, fully developing their business idea.

Oorja builds and maintains decentralized hybrid solar and biomass-powered micro-grids, producing reliable clean energy across the Indian countryside.

Oorja is the project developer and they use a community-ownership model. This provides livelihood opportunities and economic stimulation.

Social Entrepreneurship Quotes from Clementine Chambon and Amit Saraogi

“We’re aiming to provide reliable and affordable power to places that currently don’t have access to electricity.” Clementine Chambon

“We’re aiming to compete with diesel.” Clementine Chambon

“I’ve always had interest in climate change and clean energy solutions.” Clementine Chambon

“We identified that waste energy and rural electrification were our common points of interest.” Clementine Chambon

“The benefits of this growth and globalization were not really trickling down.” Amit Saraogi

“I was a banker, but I knew this was not the right path for me.” Amit Saraogi

“I believe good policy that is well-implemented is the need of the hour.” Amit Saraogi

“I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time.” Amit Saraogi

Social Entrepreneurship Resources:

Oorja: http://www.oorjasolutions.org
Oorja on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oorjasolutions
Oorja on Twitter: https://twitter.com/oorjasolutions
Oorja on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oorjasolutions
Climate-KIC: http://www.climate-kic.org/for-students/summer-school

126, Harrison Leaf, Steama.co | Connect Mini-Grids to the Cloud Nov 16, 2016

Show notes

Mini-Grids are a way to connect more than a billion people to electricity and water.

We’ve grown used to the idea of “the internet of things,” big data, and wireless connectivity. But can these technological breakthroughs be used to improve the lives of some of the poorest people in the world? And, will that technology work in the most rugged and off-grid places on earth? That’s what Steama.co does.

On Social Entrepreneur, we’ve been looking at how the people around the world suffer from energy poverty can move up the energy ladder. When people don’t have access to reliable electricity, they use expensive, dirty fuels to power their lives. This hurts their health while keeping them trapped in poverty.

One answer is mini-grids, powered by clean energy sources such as wind and solar. But, mini-grid operators have unique challenges. But how does someone without a bank account buy electricity? How does the utility read a meter, turn on an account or track usage remotely?

Steama.co provides smart meters, wireless connectivity and a robust platform utilities can use to manage their system. Steama.co works in some of the most remote places on earth. Utilities can use Steama.co technology to aggregate data and to learn.

Social Entrepreneurship Quotes from Harrison Leaf

“My work is my protest.”

“We’ve gone out to the bush and designed this in a place where it’s going to be used.”

“We’re not the power company. We put the power company’s equipment, via our smart meters, onto the internet.”

“It’s autopilot for mini grids.”

“Search not just for success, but for failure.”

“Apply the scientific method.”

Social Entrepreneurship Resources:

co: http://steama.co

125, Ellen Moir, New Teacher Center (NTC) | Improve Student Learning by Accelerating Teacher Effectiveness Nov 14, 2016

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124, Sam Pressler, Armed Services Arts Partnership (ASAP) | Empowering Veterans through Comedy and the Arts Nov 11, 2016

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On this Veteran’s Day, we celebrate with Sam Pressler of the Armed Services Arts Partnership or ASAP.

What words would you use to describe veterans? Hero? Brave? Or maybe broken or dangerous? How about neighbor, coworker, or community member? Veterans are people like you and me who exist far beyond the hyperbole, and yet they are often misunderstood. Since September 11, 2001, about 1% of the US population has served in the military. Because so few have served, there can be a civilian-military divide, punctuated by common misunderstandings.

The Armed Services Arts Partnership or ASAP helps veterans and their families to thrive through arts classes and performances. Their flagship program is a comedy boot camp where veterans learn about comedy, write their own jokes and then perform in front of a live audience. ASAP’s training helps veterans to develop life skills while breaking down the civilian-military divide.

Social Entrepreneurship Quotes from Sam Pressler

“Only 10% of veterans are female, but 35% of our classes are made up of women.”

“There is a difference between art therapy and art as therapy.”

“Humor was the avenue that I used to get through difficult times.”

“When we don’t have a way to connect to one another, we often turn to humor.”

“I didn’t know what social entrepreneurship was.”

“I’ve really never had any job, except for this.”

“The line between emotional tragedy and emotional jubilation is very thin.”

“Really ensure that you are taking care of yourself.”

“Get to know veterans beyond the stereotype of the hero or the broken.”

“This is a movement to ensure veterans have opportunities to express themselves, have a voice and heal through the arts.”

Veteran’s Day Resources:

Armed Services Arts Partnership (ASAP): http://www.asapasap.org/
Comedy Bootcamp: http://www.comedybootcamp.org
ASAP on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ASAP_Vets
ASAP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArmedServicesArtsPartnership
ASAP on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/armedservicesartspartnership

123, Allison Archambault, EarthSpark International | Solving Energy Poverty through Innovation Nov 09, 2016

Show notes

EarthSpark International is working to eradicate energy poverty.

Energy poverty is the cycle of poverty that exist when people don’t have access to modern fuels, especially electricity. More than a billion people worldwide do not have access to electricity. And even more people do not have access to reliable electricity. For many of these people, they spend a very large portion of their income on energy services such as kerosene, candles, batteries and cell phone charging services.

EarthSpark International researches and develops business models that can spin-off and scale to address specific aspects of energy poverty. EarthSpark provides a pre-pay microgrid in Les Anglais, Haiti. They serve over 2000 people with 24-hour electricity powered by solar energy. This solar-powered microgrid provides affordable clean energy. It cuts their customers’ energy costs by up to 80%.

Social Entrepreneurship Quotes from Allison Archambault

“We’re working on business models that can be relevant to energy poverty in many different places.”

“Haiti’s the least electrified country in the western hemisphere.”

“I signed up for six months and that was six months ago.”

“It’s easier to build a town-sized, solar powered smart grid in rural Haiti than it is in Washington, DC, where I live.”

“A lot of people in Haiti have cell phones but they don’t have access to electricity.”

“Everybody aspires to higher levels of electricity.”

“We call it de-risking by doing.”

“A microgrid is an energy system that is at a community scale.”

“We’re powerful enough to energize industry, and progressive enough to deliver electricity to every single customer within the infrastructure’s footprint.”

“We have a solar powered microgrid that is delivering clean, affordable and reliable electricity to about two thousand people in a town in rural Haiti.”

“Our mission is to eradicate energy poverty, but the method is to do research and development on business models that we can spin off and scale.”

“It’s not one single solution that’s going to solve energy poverty. It’s a real portfolio approach.”

“We have a goal of building eighty grids in the next five years.”

Social Entrepreneurship Resources:

EarthSpark: http://www.earthsparkinternational.org

122, Sam Goldman, d.light | Affordable and Clean Energy for the Developing World Nov 07, 2016

Show notes

121, Lauren Fine, Youth Sentencing and Reentry Project (YSRP) | Providing the Child Advocacy every Child Deserves Nov 04, 2016

Show notes

The Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project is dedicated to keeping kids out of adult jails and prisons.

Did you make any bad decisions when you were ten years old? I know I did. In many states, including Pennsylvania, children as young as ten years old can be treated by the courts as an adult.

When children come into the court system, they can be offered a public defender. However, when children are in trouble in a group, and we know that children often get into trouble in a group setting, only one of the children will be given a public defender. The others are appointed a private attorney. These private attorneys can be private practitioners who lack a support team such as paralegals, social workers or case managers.

The Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project supports kids who are prosecuted in the adult criminal justice system, including individuals who were sentenced to life without parole as children.

They do that by helping lawyers with low-income clients get their cases transferred from the adult criminal justice system to the juvenile justice system. They also help connect youth and juvenile lifers with existing community resources and programs, so they have access to education, healthcare, stable housing and job placement.

Social Entrepreneurship Quotes from Lauren Fine

“Children as young as 10 years old can be treated as adults in the criminal justice system.”

“On any given night in the United States there are 10,000 children in adult jails or prisons.”

“In Pennsylvania we have the highest number of individuals who, as children, were sentenced to live without the possibility of parole.”

“It’s important to note that race is really relevant in terms of which kids are being treated as if there were adults.”

“86% of youth tried as adults are youth of color.”

“Youth of color are ten times as likely to be sentenced to life without parole.”

“Pick good advisors.”

Social Entrepreneurship Resources:

Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project (YSRP): https://ysrp.org/
YSRP on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ysrpinphilly
YSRP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PhillyYSRP

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