Mumbai, Oct. 21 -- Even if just 10 per cent of the 47.5 million hectares suitable for agrivoltaics is utilised, it could generate more power than India is projected to require in 2050.

More than two and a half years after the launch of the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana rooftop solar programme, India is preparing to launch another ambitious renewable energy initiative. And this time the country seeks to integrate solar power generation with agricultural production through one of the world's most ambitious agrivoltaics programmes.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Agrivoltaics World Conference 2026 in New Delhi on Wednesday, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Prahlad Venkatesh Joshi said, "A TERI study estimates that 47.5 million hectares, around 30 per cent of India's 160 million hectares of cropland, are technically suitable for agrivoltaics. Out of these 47.5 million hectares, even if just 10 per cent is converted, it can generate more power than what we are estimating today as the requirement for 2050."

Agrivoltaics, also termed agrisolar or dual-use solar, involves using the same piece of land for both agricultural production and solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation. Joshi stated that Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh together account for nearly 50 per cent of India's estimated agrivoltaic potential.

Joshi said field studies estimate that even after conversion to elevated agrivoltaic systems, agricultural activity can continue below them. "Last year, decentralised solar contributed 16.3 GW of capacity, and we will be launching one of the world's most ambitious agrivoltaic programmes under the next phase of PM Kusum."

The PM Kusum scheme was launched in 2019 to promote decentralised solar energy and support farmers through solar-powered irrigation and distributed renewable energy generation. According to government data, around 3 million pumps have been installed or solarised under the programme.

Joshi, however, said that since elevated, tilted structures require additional infrastructure, Agri-PV plants can cost up to 30 per cent more than conventional ground-mounted solar.

"The average cost of electricity supplied per unit was Rs.7 in 2025-26, while some agrivoltaic assessments estimate a generation cost of around Rs.3.20-3.30 per unit. Ground-mounted solar now costs around Rs.2-2.60 per unit. This difference has to be bridged," said Joshi.

With around 86 per cent of India's farmers belonging to the small and marginal category and the average operational landholding estimated at 1.08 hectares, concerns around any possible drop in crop yield will have to be addressed before the initiative can be scaled up.

Joshi said India could learn from international experience, where the global agrivoltaics market has surpassed 18.4 GW of installed capacity.

Farmer Impact Review

While conveying his wholehearted support to the agrivoltaics initiative, Union Minister for Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan called for a rigorous assessment of its likely impact to address farmers' concerns before the agrivoltaics scheme is rolled out at scale.

"The small and marginal farmers must be able to protect their land, with solar on top and the crop below. So, we need to put some thought into how we can make the system work best."

He highlighted concerns around crop yield, financing of solar panels, the long-term sustainability of the project and a detailed assessment of local conditions such as sunlight, crop cycles, weather patterns and logistics.

"We have to think about the practical challenges. The height of the panels, the distance between saplings, and identifying the crops best suited for the project," Chouhan said.

He said one of the biggest concerns among farmers would be the possibility of declining productivity once the initiative is implemented.

"It is true that power generation will definitely be a gain. The farmer will earn by feeding excess electricity back into the grid. But we also need to ensure that there is no drop in crop yield if we are planning this on a large scale. We will have to ensure that agricultural production is maintained as well."

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the conference, Santosh Kumar Sarangi, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, said that the agrivoltaics programme would initially be rolled out at select locations. He said a policy draft would be placed in the public domain to seek feedback from stakeholders, including states.

"We are targeting a capacity of 5 GW over the next few years to begin with. We will assess the response of the states."

A dedicated 10 GW Agri-PV component to promote the co-location of solar panels with crops is also expected to form part of the proposed PM Kusum 2.0 scheme.

- Manish Pant

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Infrastructure Today.