Servals Automation Private Limited

Mission

Servals Automation Private Limited (SAPL) is a company dedicated to develop rural technology innovations into commercial successes. The company is venture capital funded with investments from internationally renowned venture funds operating in the energy & social sectors. The company is working to achieve energy independence for the “Bottom of the Pyramid” using scalable and sustainable technologies.

The company began operations in 2002 and one of the first products it brought to the market was an energy efficient kerosene stove burner with an innovative new design. These new burners reduced fuel consumption by 27%, reduced carbon emissions and provided added safety to the user. Since then, the company has grown and become well known in this sector capturing about 11% of the Indian market and has established linkages in the major export markets.

Organization Type Private Industry

Contact Information

This information has been removed as it is likely no longer accurate

Primary Initiatives, Target Populations, and Scope of Work:

We are currently manufacturing the following products:- Plant Oil Stove, Biomass Stove, Kerosene Stove & Kerosene Burners

Fuels/Technologies: Biomass
Kerosene
Other
Plant Oil
Sectors of Experience: Energy
Environment
Renewable Energy
Rural Development
Small Business
Countries of Operation: Kenya

Our Experience And Interest In The Four PCIA Central Focus Areas

Social/Cultural barriers to using traditional fuels and stoves:

About 90% of households in rural India and 30% in urban India use traditional fuel (firewood, crop wastes, dung, etc.) to cook. These fuels are thermally inefficient (15%-30%) and have serious consequences for human health (due to smoke/soot) and the environment. Since poor households in India cannot afford LPG stoves, kerosene stoves offer a cheap & safe alternative. Apart from savings in fuel consumption, Servals’ Burners are long lasting and hence offer significant monetary savings (~Rs.240 per month) for a poor household (whose income would be in the range of Rs.1,500–Rs.4,000 per month). In addition to the innovative burner, the company has successfully developed a Straight Vegetable Oil/Plant Oil stove which is expected to be a blockbuster product in export markets (mainly Africa) where there is retail availability of SVO/Plant Oil. This product (bio-fuel based) is expected to play a key part in future strategy of Servals. In keeping with the overall vision of the stakeholders (to promote development in rural and semi-urban India), Servals outsources its production to satellite units which are run by small entrepreneurs/organizations giving livelihood to underprivileged communities (most employees are women).


Market development for improved cooking technologies:

We are currently in the process of exporting our plant oil stove to Africa & Nepal so it would be useful to obtain contacts in that country. Moreover Indonesia is one country that uses 70% kerosene so it would be useful to build contacts there.


Technology standardization for cooking, heating and ventilation:

The company has developed relationships with many reputed institutions (for its R&D effort) including IIT Chennai, Rockefeller Foundation, Delft University (Netherlands), Lemelson Recognition & Mentoring Program (L-Ramp) and Rural Innovation Network (RIN). In recognition of its achievements, the company has received many awards including the L-Ramp Award for Excellence in 2007 and the “most energy efficient burner” by the Paraffin Safety Association of South Africa (PASASA).


Indoor air pollution exposure and health monitoring:

Mr Mukundan, the M.D. of Servals Automation is on the board for the ISI in India.

Relevant Publications or Studies

None noted

Our Contribution to the Partnership

We would be interested in attending conferences and networking to increase our presence in the international markets.