Once powered mostly by solar energy, the islands in India’s Sundarbans are now home to about two dozen abandoned solar micro-grids. The micro-grids powered houses, markets, and even offices. Between 1996 and 2006, the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Authority (WBREDA) installed 17 solar power plants with a cumulative installed capacity of 872.5 kilowatts (kW), and more were added to the list thereafter. But locals allege that none of the solar micro-grids functions today. Now, one of the country’s largest off-grid solar projects is coming up on the Ghoramara island, on the edge of Sunderbans. The island has no grid-connected power and is extremely vulnerable to climate change.
