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Ratnagiri Zilla Parishad’s 1 MW Solar Project Sets Example for Rural Energy Sustainability

The Ratnagiri Zilla Parishad in Maharashtra has drastically reduced its annual Rs9.16 crore electricity bill—previously borne by 846 gram panchayats for powering streetlights—through an innovative 1 MW ground-mounted solar project, bypassing the conventional rooftop solar route. Commissioned on August 15, 2024, the seasonal-tilt, unipolar-tracked system is the first such project by a local self-governing body, conceptualized by then CEO Keerthi Kiran Pujar.

Recognizing the logistical challenges of net metering across distributed streetlights, the Zilla Parishad leveraged unused government land and funds earmarked for renewable energy (3% of the District Planning Committee budget). It partnered with a gram panchayat that provided 5 acres of land, in exchange for which the Zilla Parishad covers its utility bills for schools, anganwadis, and public lighting.

The Rs8.3 crore project, producing 19 lakh units annually, also generates revenue via an open access PPA at Rs4.50/kWh, outperforming the Rs3.30/kWh from DISCOMs. Surplus earnings of Rs85 lakh are shared among panchayats based on population.

Inspired by this success, similar projects are being launched in other blocks, showcasing how rural governance bodies can utilize barren land to lower power costs and push toward carbon neutrality through scalable, centralized solar generation.