Agriphotovoltaics: Integrating Solar Energy with Agriculture

General Studies Paper-3

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.

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 ₹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.