“Delivering” energy democracy in rural India? A case study of the “community-based” solar off-grid

Aviram Sharma · 2026 · Local Environment

Summary. This case study examines how NGOs in rural India implemented energy democracy principles through the Dharnai solar off-grid project. The research finds that applying Western liberal energy democracy concepts in resource-constrained, hierarchical rural settings faces significant challenges. The study reveals that energy democracy frameworks must address historical inequalities rooted in caste, gender, and urban-rural divides, and must incorporate social justice concerns beyond liberal ideals to succeed in unequal contexts.

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@article{sharma-2026-delivering-energy-democracy-rural-india,
  title   = {“Delivering” energy democracy in rural India? A case study of the “community-based” solar off-grid},
  author  = {Aviram Sharma},
  journal = {Local Environment},
  year    = {2026},
  doi     = {10.1080/13549839.2026.2644496},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1080/13549839.2026.2644496}
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - “Delivering” energy democracy in rural India? A case study of the “community-based” solar off-grid
AU  - Aviram Sharma
JO  - Local Environment
PY  - 2026
DO  - 10.1080/13549839.2026.2644496
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1080/13549839.2026.2644496
ER  - 

Details

DOI

10.1080/13549839.2026.2644496

Countries

India

Regions

Asia

Categories

energy, policy, regional-innovation-systems, general-innovation

Added

2026-09-01