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Report-state: Kerala

Strengthening Kerala’s Energy Security Through Community Ownership: Exploring the potential of Community-owned Battery Energy Storage Systems

Strengthening Kerala’s Energy Security through Community Ownership explores the potential of Community-owned Battery Energy Storage Systems (C-BESS) as a decentralised solution for Kerala’s evolving energy transition. As rooftop solar expands and evening peak demand continues to strain the grid, the report examines how community-scale storage can bridge the gap between household batteries and utility-scale systems.


Combining policy analysis, global insights, financial modelling and field research in Perinjanam Panchayat, the study shows how locally owned storage systems can enhance grid reliability, improve renewable energy utilisation and strengthen energy security while embedding community participation in energy governance.


The report positions C-BESS as a pathway toward a more resilient, equitable and people-centred energy future for Kerala.

Choking on Toxic Smoke: The Brahmapuram Garbage Disaster in Kochi and Municipal Solid Waste Management in Kerala

By M. Suchitra & C. Surendranath

In March 2023, a fire broke out in the legacy waste mounds at Kochi’s Brahmapuram plant, burning for 12 consecutive days and shrouding the city in hazardous smoke. Fuelled by nearly 800,000 tonnes of accumulated waste, the incident laid bare the deep-rooted structural flaws in municipal solid waste management – both in Kerala and across India.

This report investigates the systemic failures, governance gaps and environmental risks revealed by the Brahmapuram disaster. Drawing on field insights and data, the authors unpack the larger implications for urban waste practices across the state. The report also outlines actionable recommendations – ranging from policy and institutional reforms to decentralised and community-led solutions – to help reimagine a cleaner, safer and more resilient waste management future.

Pathways of Transition: Climate Resilience and Energy Efficiency in Agriculture (CREEA) – Learnings from District-Level Consultative Interdepartmental Workshops, Kerala

This report captures key insights and outcomes from the district-level CREEA workshops held across Kerala between 25th July 2023 and 18th January 2024. It brings together voices from the ground and institutional perspectives to inform a more integrated and climate-resilient approach to agriculture in the state.

Key takeaways and highlights from the report: 

Identifies a set of flagship projects that are feasible and essential for implementation of CREEA, aligned with five priority areas: (i) Integration and Convergence, (ii) Risk and Emergency Planning,  (iii) Climate-Resilient Farming Systems, (iv) Net-Zero and Energy-Efficient Agriculture Capacity Building and (v) Skill Development. These project ideas are intended to be implemented through multi-stakeholder consultation and inter-departmental collaboration.

The report documents  hyper-local climate impacts and vulnerabilities across Kerala, based on inputs  and insights from district-level consultations and secondary research.

Introduces the Climate Resilient and Energy Efficient Agriculture (CREEA) framework for addressing the climate change challenges in Kerala’s agriculture, animal husbandry and fisheries sectors. It outlines the core principles, objectives, and thematic components of the framework. 

Presents the process and structure of the CREEA district-level workshops, including the timeline, departments involved, and the participatory, cross-departmental planning approach adopted.

Showcases how the workshops facilitated a multi-stakeholder and inter-departmental consultation platform to enable collaborative planning and convergence.

Presents a management approach for CREEA that emerged from the consultation process, organised around four key themes: (i) Ecosystem Health Management (ii) Extreme Event Management, (iii) Energy & Resource Management (iv) Institutional Management

Documents a range of field-level Climate Resilient Agriculture initiatives implemented by both governmental and non-governmental agencies, illustrating diverse approaches that integrate climate resilience and energy efficiency in agriculture.