The IKEA Foundation has announced a €48 million ($52.5 million) grant to the Bangalore-based SELCO Foundation to equip healthcare facilities across India with solar power.

In partnership with the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and state health ministries, the foundations will work to enable the upgrade of rural infrastructure and provide sustainable solar energy to 25,000 healthcare facilities across 12 states by 2026. In addition, the Energy for Health initiative will fund the distribution of new energy-efficient medical equipment. The grant was described as an initial investment, though the total cost of the project was not disclosed.

According to the IKEA Foundation, the project will add 100 megawatts of daily solar energy capacity across India and mitigate more than three million tons of carbon dioxide emissions over the next 20 years. The program will operate across a wide range of topography, socioeconomic vulnerabilities, disease burdens, and climates to serve as a showcase for similar projects in other parts of the world.

“One billion people around the world are still served by healthcare facilities without reliable electricity or with no electricity access at all,” said World Health Organization department of environment, climate change, and health director Maria Neira. “Decentralized renewable energies represent a key opportunity to accelerate electrification of healthcare facilities, including in remote areas.”

“This initiative will improve healthcare outcomes and reduce emissions by providing reliable and renewable energy to thousands of clinics,” said IKEA Foundation CEO Per Heggenes. “Our hope is that the success of this program can serve as a model for building effective and efficient health systems globally.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/DIY 13)