India Agrivoltaics Alliance to promote integration of solar, agriculture

Twelve organizations have set up the IAA to promote agrivoltaics in India, an agrarian nation with ambitious renewable energy goals. The country faces the challenge of needing large tracts of land for solar installations, but agrivoltaics, involving solar panels co-located with agriculture, could be an ideal solution.

The IAA has emerged to drive this initiative, launched during the India Agrivoltaics Summit. Supported by the India Climate Collaborative and Bloomberg Philanthropies, the IAA collaborates across the agriculture and solar value chains, with the National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI) serving as the alliance's secretariat.

It aims to develop agrivoltaic business models, study socio-economic impacts, and promote inclusivity. Agrivoltaics promises water conservation, increased farmer income, and a financially viable power sector. NSEFI's director general, Deepak Gupta, views IAA as a pivotal step towards sustainable energy, harmonizing agriculture and solar energy for a cleaner, more resilient future in India.

“The launch of the India Agrivoltaics Alliance is a pivotal moment in our nation’s journey towards sustainable energy,” said Deepak Gupta, the director general of NSEFI. “Agrivoltaics is not just a technology, it’s a commitment to harmonizing agriculture and solar energy for a greener, more resilient future. This alliance will be instrumental in achieving this harmony, fostering innovation, and driving the transition towards a cleaner and more sustainable energy landscape in India.”

IAA steering organizations include NSEFI, Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI), Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Indian Society of Agricultural Engineering (ISAE), Indian Chamber of Food and Agriculture (ICFA), The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Indo-German Energy Forum (IGEF), Skill Council for Green Jobs (SCGJ), Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies (ISEP) Japan, and Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation.