Modhera in Gujarat is India’s first ‘net-zero’ energy community

Gujarat’s Modhera has emerged as India’s first 24X7 solar-powered village. It is also a ‘net-zero’ energy community, meeting 100 per cent of its energy requirements using on-site solar power.

Under the project, 1 kilowatt (KW) solar panels have been installed on the roof of almost every house in Modhera in two phases.

The work was initiated in February. The solarisation of the Modhera area was completed in August, according to a report. Currently, nearly 1,380 households in the Modhera area have solar rooftop systems, including 1,177 at Modhera, 101 in Sujjanpura and 105 in Samlanpura villages.

Apart from panels, the Gujarat Power Corporation Ltd (GPCL) has set up a 6 MW ground-mounted solar power plant with a 15 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at Sujjanpura near Modhera.

Panels have also been installed over government buildings like ST Depot, police stations, Primary Health centres etc. It has brought down electricity bills drastically.

In any case, if the power from the project does not suffice for the needs of the village, the requirement is met by BESS.