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Beyond the Sun and Snow - Kashmir’s Energy Story: A Photo Essay

  • 11 September 2026
  • 5 Min
Snow-covered mountains, pristine lakes, green valleys—this is the Kashmir we know. But what does life look like beyond the postcard? For many communities, everyday reality is shaped by something far less visible.

 

From some villages, you can see the patch of snow that their water depends on. It is getting smaller every year. When the snow runs out, so does their most reliable source of water. Could clean energy help keep water flowing?

The lights often go out without warning, and people have learned to live with it. In winter, when temperatures drop and electricity demand rises, keeping a home warm can become expensive. So, every appliance comes with an affordability calculation.

 

A heater or a geyser? Comfort or the electricity bill? When power becomes too expensive, traditional chulhas often come to the rescue. But reliable, affordable clean energy could change that equation by reducing the burden of everyday life.

Because in Kashmir, energy and livelihoods are closely connected. Near Wular Lake, several families depend on fishing. But in summer, without adequate cold storage, fish can spoil before it reaches the market. The catch is lost. So is the income.

 

A solar-powered cold storage unit could help fishermen keep their catch fresh for longer. Less waste. Better prices. More income. A small energy intervention can make a real difference to a household.

And the possibilities go further. Solar can power water pumps, health facilities, schools, and streetlights, making everyday services more reliable and villages safer.

 

But energy alone isn’t enough. Women in Saderkoot Payeen have built livelihoods around Pashmina embroidery. Solar sewing machines could help, but without a shared workspace and equipment, the impact would be limited. Clean energy works best when it is paired with the infrastructure people need.

That is what we set out to understand. During our field visit to Kashmir, CSTEP spoke to communities across 10 villages to understand their energy needs, livelihoods, and everyday challenges. We assessed how renewable energy could be designed around what people actually need on the ground.

 

This work feeds into the Model Solar Village (MSV) programme, being implemented in J&K by the Jammu & Kashmir Energy Development Agency (JAKEDA). The idea is simple: bring clean energy closer to the people who need it.

Because Kashmir’s energy challenge is not just about keeping the lights on. It is about water, warmth, food, livelihoods, safety, and opportunity. Everything is connected. And renewable energy can be too.

 

Kashmir has no shortage of renewable energy potential. The real question is: Can we turn that potential into solutions that work for the people who live here? From a water pump in a mountain village to a cold store beside Wular Lake, the clean energy transition becomes meaningful when it solves problems people face every day.

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CSTEP, one of India’s top think tanks, enhances policymaking through science and technology for a sustainable, secure, and inclusive society. Grants and donations made to the organisation are eligible for exemptions u/s 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961. CSTEP is also registered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010.

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