Harpal Dagar, a farmer on the fringes of Delhi, has gone from conventional fertilizer-based practices to completely organic bio-farming in the last five years. Once primarily concerned with the cultivation of medicinal herbs, today he uses solar technology to grow more bountiful crops while powering his farm facility with clean electricity. This change started in 2024, when he found a piece of land with no access to electricity. That was when Sun Master, a Delhi-based solar power company, came to him with an attractive offer. Their deal is locked in place for 25 years. Dagar will be paid each year, but Sun Master takes home the profits from all the electricity produced.
The idea of agrivoltaics – using the same land for both agriculture and solar energy production – is catching on all over India. One of them, Anand Jain, a farmer from Gujarat, has wholeheartedly adopted this cutting edge model. He’s cultivating strawberries and tomatoes under solar panels on his 14 acres of land. Jain’s ancestors were farmers, and like Dagar, he understands the opportunity for agriculture under solar panels. To make this method the most effective, you’ll want to raise the solar panels high. Lift them to a minimum height of 11 feet (3.5 meters) above the ground.
Manu Srivastava oversees solar and agrivoltaic projects in Madhya Pradesh and emphasizes the importance of clear contracts in this emerging field. He points out that the 25-year lease agreements need to include stringent commitments and safeguards for farmers and developers. Enforcement of these long-term contracts is still a major obstacle in India, warns Srivastava.
“The biggest challenge is contracts. A 25-year lease needs clear obligations and protection for both sides. In India, long-term contract enforcement is still a hurdle.” – Manu Srivastava
Like many others, Dagar was skeptical when the solar company made its proposal. He was afraid that all of his land would end up taken for this huge and apparently ridiculous project. Looking back, he considers his decision life-changing.
“When the solar company first approached us… many of us feared losing our land. It sounded too good to be true – maybe even a scam.” – Harpal Dagar
“But today, I believe it was the best decision I made. My income has tripled, and I sleep peacefully without the stress of climate or crop failure.” – Harpal Dagar
Dagars are handsomely rewarded with hard financial rewards. He has a reliable income both from the food he grows on his newly productive land and from the solar mini-grid installed there. This dual revenue stream helps make up for the unpredictable weather patterns that wreak havoc on our crops and livelihood.
Jain cautions that agrivoltaics can’t be the go-to solution for all of India’s farmers. Farmers of all stripes find these projects cumbersome, but for smaller farmers, particularly, this can be a significant barrier to entry.
“Let me be clear – agrivoltaics isn’t yet feasible for small farmers in India.” – Anand Jain
Jain is an equally strong defender of successful agrivoltaics resting on robust collaborations between public and private sectors. Without this collaboration, he is concerned that the model will fall short.
“This model will only succeed if there is a strong partnership between the government and the private sector.” – Anand Jain
Vivek Saraf at Sun Master is a passionate advocate for this concept. He points to their commitment to lowering risks for farmers involved in agrivoltaic projects.
“Our model ensures the farmer is not exposed to any risk. If the crop fails or there’s a market issue, the loss is ours – not the farmers’.” – Vivek Saraf
Saraf pinpoints promising crops that best flourish beneath solar panels. These are often high-valued, specialty crops that lend themselves well to production in less-than-ideal conditions with regard to light. These foods include green leafy vegetables and spices like turmeric and ginger, and other edibles such as gumbo and hibiscus flowers.
As SAEIN advisor Subrahmanyam Pulipaka explains, the potential role of agrivoltaics in India goes well beyond improving land use efficiency. More than 55% of the country’s population depends on agriculture, but cultivable land is increasingly stretched thin. He believes this new, creative approach is a deeply transformative solution.
“In India, where more than 55% of the population depends on agriculture and cultivable land is under mounting pressure, agrivoltaics offers a transformative model.” – Subrahmanyam Pulipaka
Critical cultural and creative projects need an enormous amount of resources. To give one example, Dagar’s farm operates on a total generation capacity of 4.5 megawatts, backed by $2.27 million in bank loans and state government funding.