Union Minister of New & Renewable Energy, Shri Pralhad Joshi, highlighted the growing role of renewable energy in strengthening India’s rural economy and enhancing farmers’ incomes at the 4th National Agro-RE Summit in New Delhi today.

Addressing the summit, Shri Joshi said renewable energy is increasingly reaching farms and households, helping farmers access reliable power, reduce irrigation costs, and improve productivity. “A farmer irrigating his field today may be doing so using solar power, and a household that once worried about electricity bills may now generate its own electricity through rooftop solar. This is not just an energy transition, it is a transformation of the rural economy,” he stated.

Solar Irrigation Pumps Reducing Costs and Emissions

The Minister emphasised the impact of solar irrigation pumps, which reduce dependence on diesel and provide reliable daytime irrigation. Diesel-based irrigation can cost nearly ₹6,790 per acre for wheat and over ₹8,000 per acre for crops such as cotton. Solar pumps, by contrast, can save farmers between ₹5,000 and ₹6,500 per acre annually, while also lowering emissions.

Under the PM-KUSUM scheme, over 10 lakh standalone solar agricultural pumps have been installed, and more than 13 lakh grid-connected agricultural pumps have been solarised nationwide. Shri Joshi noted that these initiatives enable farmers to become “Urjadaata” (energy providers) alongside being “Annadata” (food providers).

PM-KUSUM 2.0 to Boost Agri-PV Deployment

Shri Joshi announced the government is preparing PM-KUSUM 2.0, which will include a dedicated 10 GW Agri-PV component to promote co-location of solar panels with crops. This model allows farmers to generate electricity while continuing agricultural activities on the same land, creating a new avenue for decentralised renewable energy in rural India.

Agrivoltaics Unlocking Additional Income for Farmers

Union Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik, highlighted agrivoltaics as a transformative solution for India’s energy and agriculture sectors. Agrivoltaic systems enable simultaneous electricity generation and crop cultivation on the same land, improving land-use efficiency.

Studies indicate that agrivoltaic systems can substantially enhance farmers’ incomes, with annual earnings potentially increasing from around ₹60,000 per acre to over ₹1 lakh per acre when electricity generation is combined with crop cultivation. Shri Naik called for stronger collaboration among government, industry, research institutions, and financial organisations to scale up agrivoltaic deployment and make the technology accessible to farmers.

Rooftop Solar Expanding Energy Access

Shri Joshi also highlighted the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, under which more than 31 lakh households have installed rooftop solar systems, enabling families to generate their own electricity and reduce electricity bills.

India’s renewable energy progress was underscored, with the country’s non-fossil fuel capacity rising from around 81 GW in 2014 to nearly 275 GW today. Solar capacity expanded from 2.8 GW to nearly 143 GW, wind capacity increased from 21 GW to 55 GW, and biopower capacity grew from 8.1 GW to 12 GW. The Minister reiterated that India aims to achieve 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity through decentralised renewable energy installations across farms, rooftops, and rural enterprises.