Rooftop revolution: Sun lights nights

Nagpur: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. A handful of Vidarbha villages are living the adage, transforming extreme weather conditions into life-changing energy solutions. Vidarbha, known for its blistering summers and extreme hot weather, is now harnessing renewable energy to lead Maharashtra's solar revolution. Five villages across the region successfully transitioned to 100% solar energy, with many more on the brink of going completely green.

Leading the way are three villages from Wardha district — Chinchghat, Nagzari, and Neri —alongside Nagarwadi in Amravati and Sadagad Heti, an tribal village in Chandrapur district. These villages are now entirely powered by solar energy, a feat made possible not just by govt schemes but also the proactive efforts of locals who embraced renewable energy.

At the heart of this transformation lies the story of Neri village in Arvi Taluka, which now holds the distinction of being the largest village in Maharashtra to run entirely on solar power. With 132 households and its gram panchayat equipped with rooftop solar panels, the village reached an installed capacity of 150 kW.

"The village was transformed into a solar village thanks to the funds from DPC and the backing of Arvi MLA Sumit Wankhede. If such initiatives are taken by all MLAs across the state, then Maharashtra can boast of 288 solar-powered villages," said an MSEDCL official.

Chinchghat, another shining example from Wardha, earned the recognition of being a completely solar-powered village. What stands out in Chinchghat's journey is the self-motivation of its villagers — many took bank loans to install rooftop panels, apart from relying on the central govt's subsidy without waiting for additional support.

In all these villages, solar power isn't just an eco-friendly choice, it's an economic decision too. With frequent power cuts and unreliable grids, solar brought a new level of energy security and self-sufficiency to these communities.

The transition is part of a larger state-led initiative to make at least two villages in every district fully solar-powered. While the idea is still picking up momentum in other regions of the state, Vidarbha is clearly ahead. Among the four regions under MSEDCL — Nagpur, Konkan, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, and Pune — Nagpur emerged as the frontrunner with the highest number of rooftop installations.

As of now, the Nagpur region alone has seen 1,136 rooftop solar systems installed across villages and residential societies, collectively generating 6,487 kW of green energy.

In Yavatmal district, two villages — Shastri Nagar and Wadgaon — are now in the final stages of their solar transition. With 703 rooftop panels already installed, they are poised to join the league of Maharashtra's largest solar villages in the coming weeks.

"Vidarbha has abundant sunlight, which played a key role in making it number one across the state in installation of solar panels. In the coming days, many more villages would become self-sufficient as villagers too are excited about green energy," the MSEDCL official added.

With sunlight in abundance and an increasing willingness among villagers to embrace change, Vidarbha is not just battling climate change — it's redefining what rural sustainability looks like, one rooftop at a time.