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Agrovoltaics combines solar generation and agriculture together. Photograph: (Sumit Yadav)
The arid region of Rajasthan is often plagued by the issue of a shortage of water. Marked by harsh sunlight, the region often becomes tough for the farmer to plough their fertile lands under scorching light, while a shortage of water also affects farming. However, some institutions in Rajasthan have learnt how to convert challenges into opportunities.
Close to Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, a palace-turned-hotel has utilised solar energy to combat these challenges. It used an emerging technology, agrovoltaics, where farming and energy generation go hand in hand. This not only allowed the entity to reduce its monthly electricity bill but also aided in reducing carbon emissions and simultaneously growing vegetables below an array of solar panels, which are generating electricity directly from the sun.
From Consumer To Prosumer
This luxury hotel installed a 400 kW ground-mounted agrovoltaic solar project and is using the land below its for growing common vegetables which it is using to cook and serve its guests. Spread over 22 acres, Nahargarh Palace includes over 100 rooms, conference halls, a swimming pool, and large lawns. To meet its high energy demand and support green tourism, the palace partnered with Vareyn Solar to set up a 400 kW solar agrovoltaic plant over two acres. The system generates around 60,000 units of electricity, reducing the palace’s monthly power bills from ₹7–8 lakh to about ₹2–3 lakh.
Mahipal Singh, General Manager of Nahargarh Palace, explains: “Our goal was to use the palace’s land productively while preserving local biodiversity. The solar plant not only reduces carbon emissions but also creates a new farming model for Rajasthan, where much of the land is infertile or too hot for cultivation. The vegetables we grow are organic, tastier, and healthier for our guests. Since installing the plant, our electricity costs have dropped three to four times, and our power reliability has improved.”
A solar-powered pump is used for both irrigation and panel cleaning. Each panel wash consumes around 4,000 liters of water, typically done once a month—or twice during dusty summer storms. The water used for cleaning is reused for irrigation, ensuring zero wastage, an important example of water conservation in a state known for scarcity.
How Agrovoltaics Is Aiding
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Ishan Chaturvedi, Co-founder of Vareyn Solar, which installed the plant, added: “This is our first agrovoltaic solar project. It’s a multi-functional system—producing energy while supporting cultivation below. The 400 kW plant, costing around ₹3 crore, includes a five-year maintenance contract. We inspect it regularly to ensure smooth operation. Agrovoltaics are not only a great option for rural farmers but also for city dwellers with rooftop panels who want to do terrace gardening. Panels installed 8–10 feet high can allow for vegetables and flowers to be grown below, and even the water used for cleaning panels can be reused for plants.”
Ramdhyan Saini, an electrician from a nearby village who maintains the palace’s solar system, said: “The agrovoltaic model is excellent for Rajasthan. With nearly ten months of heat each year, farming is tough. Under the panels, crops are protected from the sun’s intensity, and water isn’t wasted. Many farmers want to adopt this system, though high installation costs remain a challenge for smallholders.”
Leading in utility-scale projects
Rajasthan is one of the most renewable-rich states in India; however, besides the utility-scale large projects, growth of rooftop solar and agrovoltaics solar has not been very significant. However, with such cases creating ripples, it paves the way for wider adoption. Experts from the sector said that its wider expansion can benefit not only farmers but the state’s land since it makes efficient use of water in the water-scarce state.
Ajay Yadav, President of the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Association, said: “Rajasthan is among India’s hottest states, with the most sunlight exposure, making it ideal for renewable energy. Agrovoltaic systems are a promising model for farmers. The government should encourage and support their adoption, especially since efficient water use is becoming critical in the state. Agrovoltaics can also become an integral part of rooftop solar solutions.”
More Scope for Agrovoltaics
As per the latest statistics from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Rajasthan has the highest capacity of solar energy in India with a total installed capacity of 34.55 GW. However, the majority of this (29.96 GW) comes from ground-mounted projects, only 1.80 GW from rooftop solar, 1.98 GW from hybrid projects (solar component), and 805 MW from off-grid solar projects, hinting at the large-scale scope of agrovoltaics in the state.
However, the slow growth of the technology could be attributed to the inherent challenges and lack of clear policies in the state. As per estimates done by Fraunhofer-Institut für Solare Energiesysteme ISE, Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy, and EY, Rajasthan has a total agrocoltaic potential of 592 GW.
According to a report by energy think tank Vasudha Foundation, farmers in India can still take the benefits of government subsidies if they plan to install such systems under the PM-KUSUM scheme.
Scheme Integration
“Presently, AgriPV projects are being executed under Component A of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) Scheme in India30. Under this scheme, AgriPV is facilitated by permitting the installation of solar power plants on elevated stilts above arable land, allowing for crop cultivation beneath the solar modules. These plants, ranging from 500 kW to 2 MW in capacity, can be established by individual farmers, farmer groups, cooperatives, panchayats, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), or Water User Associations (WUAs),” the Vasudha Foundation report read.
The think tank also recommended ways to fast-track its adoption. It batted for developing explicit guidelines defining permissible land uses for AgriPV installations, clearly distinguishing them from other solar projects, amending land leasing policies to permit AgriPV systems on agricultural land, provided that crop yield guarantees—such as maintaining at least 90% of reference yields—are met and ensuring farmers retain ownership and control over their land when leasing it for AgriPV projects, safeguarding their land rights and ensuring fair compensation.
According to the 28th Annual Report (2022–23) of the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited (RRECL), the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Policy 2023 aims to achieve 65 GW of solar capacity by 2030. The state has already reached 34 GW of generation by mid-2025, aided by 100% tax exemptions for solar projects.
By-Sumit Yadav
(This story was produced with the support of Internews’ Earth Journalism Network.)