Building on the legacy of the SUNRISE project, ‘After SUNRISE’ is an impact-driven initiative focused on supporting a just transition to community-led solar energy in rural India.

Through a series of participatory workshops (at Khuded village, IIT Mumbai and Swansea), the project brought together researchers from India and the UK alongside NGOs, policymakers, and industry partners. Critically, the project also involved villagers from where the Solar OASIS was constructed. These discussions informed the creation of a practical policy brief and an accessible multimedia resource pack. Both were designed to promote inclusive, community-owned solar energy solutions.

‘After SUNRISE’ prioritised the needs of marginalised communities, particularly focusing on women, older adults, and Scheduled Tribes, ensuring that local voices help to shape solar technology design, ownership, and use. The project aimed to promote energy literacy, climate justice, and long-term community empowerment through models of collective ownership, knowledge sharing, and policy influence.

The Solar OASIS building in Khuded served as a central case study, demonstrating how solar infrastructure, co-designed with local people, can support economic development, education, and resilience in a just and inclusive manner.