Let's visualise the sheer expanse of one of India's largest solar parks, the Pavagada Solar Park in Karnataka. An aerial view of the site shows a never-ending sea of glass panels and wires spread across 13,000 acres. That is about 1/4th of the size of Kolkata city.

Then there are smaller solar and wind power plants too. Some are even a fraction of the Pavagada solar plant. These power projects that harness unlimited sunlight and wind need another critical resource, a limited one… land.

Land is essential to install solar panels, wind turbines and transmission lines. And in a country such as India, land is scarce. Most of the land has a human footprint. It could be private or community farmland. Or it could be the village pasture where cows and sheep graze, or it could be a parcel of land that's considered sacred for centuries and worshiped by communities.

In the race to achieve clean energy targets, the pressure falls on such land parcels beyond city boundaries and the people who depend on them. It's well acknowledged by the government, renewable energy companies and all stakeholders in the sector that land availability and acquisition are critical challenges in renewable energy projects. 

On the other hand, communities risk losing rights and access to land with unfair or no compensation. So how sustainable and just are clean energy projects in their current form?

Listen to GigaWhat and explore some of the biggest questions, challenges, and opportunities in India's transition from fossil fuel to clean energy sources.

Mongabay-India is an online publication dedicated to bringing you stories on science and the environment in India.

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GUESTS:

Karthik Ganesan, Fellow and Director of Research Coordination, Council on Energy, Environment and Water

Mrinali Karthick, Database and Collaborations Lead, Land Conflict Watch

Leo Saldanha, Environment Support Group

Sikari Rongpi, farmer, Mikir Bamuni

Kawe Ingtipi, resident, Mikir Bamuni

LINKS:

Land Conflict Watch database

The Anatomy of A Solar Land Grab

Letter from the solar company

CREDITS

Host: Mayank Aggarwal

Writer and producer: Kartik Chandramouli

Additional reporting: Nabarun Guha

Audio editor: Tejas Dayananda Sagar

Copy editor: Priyanka Shankar

Additional voiceover: Saumitra Shinde

Podcast production assistant: Ayushi Kothari

GigaWhat cover art designer: by Pooja Gupta