Modhera, in the Indian state of Gujarat, is the country’s first 100% solar-powered town, demonstrating that battery storage may offer 24/7 clean electricity to rural areas.
Modhera has a population of only 1,400 people and is home to the Sun Temple, which is devoted to the Hindu Sun God Surya.
In a project backed by the national government Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), it was chosen as the ideal location to demonstrate that access to power can be made equitable, universal, and totally renewable.
The MNRE issued the scheme’s tender in March 2020, citing that the “Scheme for Solarisation” of Modhera had the goal of bringing forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s own vision for the historic town, which was to fully fulfill the domestic and agricultural electricity needs of all the households of Modhera with solar energy, thereby setting up a pilot demonstration project for a village running completely on solar energy.
A 6-MW solar PV power plant, a 6 MW/15 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS), 271 rooftop solar arrays of 1 kW each, smart meters, and electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment were installed as part of the tender.
GreenPowerMonitor, which provided the project with a power plant controller and an energy management system, has developed digital platforms to maximize renewable energy production and integration, according to the company’s CEO, Juan Carlos Alevaro.
He added that energy storage is an essential part when it comes to renewable energy. The future is a combination of all technologies, with storage included.
The state government of Gujarat and India’s federal Government will split the Rs 65 crore (US$8.37 million) cost of the Modhera 24/7 solar plant. Both administrations are hoping that the project can serve as a replicable model for other regions.
