India's enormous solar park was meant to help poor communities. But it left the landless stricken

Community members from Pavagada villages Priya Pillai, Author provided

India, like many other countries, is looking to renewables as an antidote to soaring fossil fuel prices and to tackle climate change. Prime Minister Narendra Modi sees renewables as vital for a “developed India”.

But while renewables are seen as a major positive on a societal scale, these large scale facilities can – if done poorly – make life harder for people who live close to them.