India’s leading solar-powered gram panchayat, Perinjanam, launches a first-of-its-kind battery storage project to boost revenue and energy self-sufficiency.
Thrissur (Kerala): Perinjanam, the gram panchayat that uses the highest amount of solar power in the country, is preparing for another milestone. A pilot project is being implemented to store the 3.16 megawatts of solar energy generated every month in homes and institutions and sell it to the Electricity Department during high-tariff night hours. The initiative is called a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). Solar power produced during the day will be stored in a large lithium battery. The Kerala government has sanctioned ₹2 crore for the project. This is the first initiative of its kind in the country.
At present, for direct solar power supply, the Electricity Department pays an average of ₹3.04 per unit. If solar power is supplied during peak demand hours, the rate goes up to ₹7 per unit.
The solar revolution in Perinjanam began in 2018. The architect of the project was K K Sachith, a CPM leader who was then the panchayat president. Solar panels were installed on the rooftops of houses and buildings, creating energy self-sufficiency.
The panchayat now generates 3.16 megawatts of solar power per month. As many as 860 households and more than 100 institutions are part of the project.
The Perinjanam Cooperative Bank provided collateral-free loans to participants. Within four years, all beneficiaries repaid their loans and are now earning income.
A 9.5-kilowatt solar installation atop the Perinjanam Government School powers around 800 streetlights in the panchayat. As a result, the monthly electricity expenditure for street lighting has come down from ₹90,000 to ₹32,000.
Published: 26 Feb 2026, 04:40 pm IST
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