Agrovoltaic project in Agra, India
What if a farm could produce not only food but also electricity?
At Dayalbagh Educational Institute in Agra, India, elevated solar panels stand above the land, allowing cultivation to continue underneath. It is a local example of agrivoltaics, combining solar power generation with agricultural production.
The idea is gaining attention well beyond India as countries face the challenge of how to expand renewable energy without putting additional pressure on farmland.
“From the same piece of land, a farmer can grow his crops and sell the electricity from solar energy,” says Joydeep Gupta, India Head of the Earth Journalism Network.
The AgriPV system on Dayalbagh Educational Institute’s Dairy Campus, producing 209 kilowatt-peak, consists of 19 raised solar-panel support structures with 32 panels each.
A 2024 study of the project found that the crops grown beneath the elevated solar structures were not significantly
affected by the shadow. Researchers reported a total vegetable yield of 10 metric tons, higher than India’s average national vegetable yield for the same land area.
How Great Are Potential Benefits?
Around 7.5 million hectares (75,000 square km) of India’s cropland, about 14% of the country’s land area, is technically suitable for AgriPV. That could generate up to 20,000 TWh of electricity, four times India’s projected electricity demand of 5,250 TWh in 2050.
However, “technically suitable” does not mean that all of this land could or should be covered with solar panels. Factors such as crop type, sunlight, water availability, local electricity infrastructure, farming practices and the cost of installing elevated structures determine whether a particular site is viable.
The potential benefits for farming, from the partial shade of solar panels, include around 30% savings of water and yield improvements of 10 to 20% for certain crops. But agrivoltaic systems can produce very different outcomes, depending on the crop, climate, panel height, spacing and design.
In Madhya Pradesh, Anand Jain has integrated elevated solar infrastructure with agriculture, installing the panels 11 to 13 feet above the ground and spacing them to allow tractors to pass.
With a 4.5 MW solar plant, the farm generates up to 25,000 units of electricity daily, supplying any surplus to the grid. Crops on the site include strawberries, lettuce, broccoli, tomatoes and cabbage.
“Combining solar power generation with agricultural cultivation can significantly improve land productivity and provide farmers with an additional source of income,” conclude the Indian Government.
The model is also being tested in Europe. In Germany’s Baden-Württemberg region, the Model Region Agrivoltaics project has brought together researchers, government agencies, and other partners. During its first phase, five pilot facilities with a combined capacity of more than 1,700 kWp were established, focusing
primarily on pome fruit, stone fruit and berries. The second phase, running from 2025 to 2026, has expanded the research to grassland, arable farming, livestock, vineyards, and reforestation.
The project is studying crop-specific designs, including the orientation and transparency of photovoltaic modules as well as their effects on plants and agricultural production. One of its sites is an apple orchard in Kressbronn on Lake Constance. Elevated photovoltaic panels above the orchard allow agricultural machinery to continue operating underneath.
Globally, the experiments are even more diverse, with seven solar-powered agri-food projects across countries including China, Iran, Japan, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda. The applications range from crop cultivation and horticulture to aquaculture, sheep, and dairy farming. Researchers emphasize that project design needs to reflect local agricultural conditions, skills, markets, and financing requirements.
Challenges
Estimates of India’s agrivoltaic potential range from around 3,000 GW to nearly 14,000 GW. However, access to finance is one of the biggest challenges, particularly for smallholder farmers. Installing elevated solar structures can require more investment than conventional ground-mounted solar.
India faces particular regulatory and financial questions. Research on AgriPV has highlighted issues around land-use classification, approvals, and the design of policies that can accommodate both agricultural and energy activity.
The installation in Agra is part of a much larger global experiment. From an educational institute in northern India to an apple orchard in southern Germany, farmers and researchers are testing whether one piece of land can perform two functions without compromising either.
The answer will not be identical everywhere. But as countries search for ways to expand renewable energy while protecting food production and rural livelihoods, agrivoltaics offers a model worthy of consideration. This is not a choice between the farm and the solar panel, but the possibility that, with the right design and policy support, the two can work together.
Arpita Chowdhury visited Agra, Uttar Pradesh, as part of the Renewable Energy Workshop, hosted by the Earth Journalism Network.
