Syllabus: GS3/Renewable Energy
Context
- World Solar Day, as observed on 3rd May, highlighted the transformative potential of solar energy, particularly in agriculture.
About the Agriphotovoltaics
- Agriphotovoltaics (APVs) offer a dual solution for food and energy production by integrating solar panels with farming.
- It maximizes land-use efficiency, allowing crops to grow beneath elevated solar panels while generating electricity.
- Origins of Agriphotovoltaics:
- It was first proposed by German scientists Adolf Goetzberger and Armin Zastrow in 1981.
- The concept involves elevating solar modules to allow sunlight to reach crops while harnessing solar power.
| Solar Energy in India: Key Achievements – 100 GW Solar Capacity Milestone: India’s solar sector has grown 3450% over the past decade, rising from 2.82 GW in 2014 to 100.33 GW on January 31, 2025. – Record-Breaking Solar Installations: In 2024, India added 24.5 GW of solar capacity, more than double the installations of 2023. 1. Utility-scale solar capacity saw a 2.8x increase, with 18.5 GW installed in 2024. |
Benefits for Farmers
- APVs create microclimatic conditions that reduce water evaporation and protect crops from extreme heat, improving agricultural resilience.
- Farmers can sell excess solar power back to the grid at a predetermined feed-in tariff, ensuring stable revenue streams.
APV Success Stories in India
- Najafgarh, Delhi Pilot Project: A farmer leased his land to a solar company for ₹1 lakh per acre annually, securing stable income.
- If farmers cultivate shade-loving crops like potatoes, tomatoes, and turmeric, their income could rise to ₹1.5 lakh per acre, a sixfold increase over traditional farming.
Scaling Agriphotovoltaics Through Policy Support
- Incorporating APVs in PM-KUSUM: India currently lacks a designated agrivoltaics policy, but revising the PM-KUSUM agricultural solarisation program to include APVs could accelerate adoption.
- Grid-connected solar power plants under PM-KUSUM should implement dual-use models, allowing simultaneous crop cultivation and solar generation.
- Financial Incentives for Farmers: Expanding credit guarantees and subsidies for APV installations will help smallholder farmers (own less than 2 hectares of land) adopt solar farming.
- Increasing feed-in tariffs (FiTs) for solar power generated on agricultural land could improve investment viability.
- Capacity-Building and Technical Training: Government-backed programs should train farmers in APV management, helping them integrate solar energy into traditional farming practices.
Challenges and Future Prospects
- Limited To Pilot Projects: APVs are limited to pilot projects by research institutes and private developers.
- Expanding APVs requires policy support, financial incentives, and awareness campaigns to encourage adoption.
- Infrastructure and Investment Needs: Farmers need access to financing for APV installations.
- Government subsidies and public-private partnerships could accelerate adoption.
- Policy Support for APVs: India’s solar energy policies should integrate APVs into national agricultural strategies.
- Expanding research and pilot programs will help refine APV models for different climates and crops.
Previous article
Genome-Edited Seeds to Mark Beginning of Second Green Revolution