Just Transition Insights from India’s 2050 MW Pavagada Solar Park

This paper examines the Pavagada Solar Park, one of the largest solar parks in the world, to develop an empirical evidence base of its local socioeconomic impacts and situate these findings in the just transition narrative. Located in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, the solar park spans 13,000 acres of land leased from 2,300 farmers in five villages in Pavagada, where most people traditionally practice landbased livelihoods. As one of India’s first utility-scale solar projects, learning from it can pave the way for similar future projects. This paper aims to enhance the existing discourse on energy transition using this evidence and to inform policymakers about the potential risks to communities and possible ways to ensure a just transition.