भारत agrivoltaics को एक प्रमुख नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा रणनीति के रूप में खोज रहा है। केंद्रीय मंत्री Pralhad Joshi (न्यू एंड रिन्यूएबल एनर्जी के मंत्री) ने कहा कि उपयुक्त मानी गई भूमि में से केवल 10% को बदलने से 2050 के लिए देश की अनुमानित ऊर्जा मांग से अधिक बिजली उत्पन्न की जा सकती है।
Key Developments
- Study by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) finds 47.5 million hectares (≈30% of India’s 160 million hectares of arable land) are suitable for agrivoltaics.
- Government plans to embed agrivoltaics in the next phase of PM‑KUSUM, calling it one of the world’s largest agrivoltaic programmes.
- Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stresses the need for clear land‑use rules, dispute‑resolution mechanisms and crop‑suitability guidelines.
- Agrivoltaic installations, which use elevated solar photovoltaic panels, cost 25‑30% more than conventional ground‑mounted solar farms.
Important Facts
• Land potential: 47.5 million hectares identified; 10% utilisation equals 4.75 million hectares.
• Power generation: 10% of suitable land could exceed the electricity demand projected for the year 2050.
• Cost comparison (FY 2025‑26): Average electricity price ≈ ₹7/kWh. Agrivoltaic projects estimate ₹3.20‑₹3.30/kWh, while ground‑mounted solar costs ₹2.5‑₹2.6/kWh. The higher cost of agrivoltaics must be bridged for commercial viability.
• Policy safeguards: Proposed rules will address module repair, dispute resolution, lease/sale terms, crop‑specific suitability, equipment recycling, and land‑restoration on farmer exit.
Exam Relevance
• Renewable energy integration is a recurring topic in GS