Agrivoltaics, the mixed use of solar energy along with agricultural production, is a way for farmers to supplement their income from their crop produce and also generate power through solar panels. This concept is catching on in India too, and countries like Israel, which have technological expertise, are looking at opportunities to collaborate in India.
An Agrivoltaics delegation from Israel visited farms and facilities in India, where such pilot projects were underway and could consider collaborating on similar projects. “We visited farms across India, which could turn into opportunities for collaboration,” affirmed Yoni Ben Zaken, leader of a delegation from Israel to India, while talking to Business India. “Israel has been undertaking pilot projects on this front for a while now”.
This concept has potential to gather momentum, as renewable energy is being encouraged following ongoing conflicts that have disrupted energy supplies. So, in effect, a farmer, while on his farm, can install solar panels in a way that doesn’t impede sunlight and also generates energy. The energy can be used for self-consumption or transmitted through the grid.
“Few countries understand this challenge better than Israel, where scarcity has historically driven innovation in water management, precision agriculture and, now, dual land-use solar systems,” Zaken added. “This approach could, over time, become a transformative pillar of India-Israel co-operation”.
In Israel, ranging from policy reform and co-operative financing models to AI-enabled precision farming and climate resilience, the discussion projects agrivoltaics not merely as a technical solution, but as a strategic instrument at the intersection of agriculture, energy and sustainability.
The country has about 10 million people, living in a relatively small geographical area. With the increase in population, land scarcity has become a structural constraint. At the same time, Israel is facing water limitations too, making solar energy its most abundant renewable resource.
One thing every farmer has to factor in while opting for agrivoltaics is that solar installations require land – precisely the same resource agriculture depends upon. That creates a structural competition between food production and energy generation. “By merging renewable energy infrastructure with agricultural activity, we create synergy rather than conflict,” says an agricultural expert in India. “The same land can generate both crops and electricity”. At present, due to sustained research and development, Israel has about 60 different crops that are grown under agrivoltaic systems.
By merging renewable energy infrastructure with agricultural activity, we create synergy rather than conflict
Solarising irrigation
The government of India has plans to introduce agri-photovoltaics (PV) under the second phase of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyaan (PM-KUSUM), its flagship scheme to solarise irrigation. The approach combines solar power generation with crop cultivation on the same land to allow farmers to continue growing crops, while earning additional income from electricity generation. Pralhad Joshi, Union minister for new & renewable energy, contends that agrivoltaics, combining solar power generation with crop cultivation on the same land, can meet India's 2050 power demand, if deployed on just 10 per cent of suitable agricultural land.
Agriculture plays a vital role in India’s economy, serving as a key source of livelihood for approximately 46.1 per cent of the population. The Gross Value Added (GVA) of the Agriculture and Allied Sector is estimated to reach Rs 52.08 lakh crore in 2025-26. Sustaining this vital sector requires reliable and affordable energy for irrigation and other farming operations. Solar power can help meet these everyday needs while advancing India’s clean energy transition.
India’s vast agricultural land offers significant prospects to integrate solar energy with farming. According to Land Use Statistics for 2023-24, the country’s reported area covers 306.96 million hectares, of which approximately 55 per cent is agricultural land. The net sown area stands at 138.99 million hectares, while the gross cropped area covers 217.88 million hectares. This extensive land base offers opportunities to generate solar electricity alongside agricultural production. Farmers can use solar power to operate irrigation pumps, reduce dependence on conventional electricity and potentially generate supplementary revenueby supplying surplus electricity to the grid. For instance, solar-powered irrigation pumps can provide daytime power for watering crops while reducing reliance on diesel-powered alternatives.