Growing farmers’ solar future from ploughs to panels

• German scientists Adolf Goetzberger and Armin Zastrow proposed the concept of agriphotovoltaics (APVs) in 1981, integrating solar energy generation with agricultural production.

• APVs offer a model that maximizes land-use efficiency while augmenting farmers’ income.

• To accommodate APVs, on-site solar infrastructure must be designed for cultivation between rows of solar panels and in the area available beneath the elevated panels.

• Interest in APVs in India is growing, but is mostly limited to demonstration pilots by research institutes or private developer-owned and managed APV systems.

• A recent report by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations examined an APV system in Najafgarh, Delhi, showing a sixfold increase in income over traditional open farming.

• APVs may also create favorable microclimatic conditions that reduce water loss from and heat stress on plants.

• India lacks standardized norms for APVs, creating ambiguity in project design.

• Countries leading in APV adoption, such as Japan and Germany, could offer valuable lessons in this regard.

• India can draw on these examples to define its national APV guidelines, including specifications on panel height, permissible yield loss, and land-use criteria.

• Scaling APV for smallholders requires leveraging farmer institutions such as FPOs and cooperatives.

• The primary bottleneck for APV adoption in India is the high capital expenditure required for APV systems.

• The government can also float capacity-building programs that train and equip farmers with the expertise to manage APV systems.

• India currently lacks any designated policy on agrivoltaics, but a revamp of the Government of India’s flagship PMKUSUM scheme on agricultural solarisation could help scale the innovation across the country.