Agri-voltaic System: PV Based Generation and Cultivation of Cash Crops

Conference Paper: Agri-voltaic System: PV Based Generation and Cultivation of Cash Crops

Abstract

The Govt. of India has set an ambitious target of achieving 100,000 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) based power generation capacity in the country and doubling the farmer’s income by the year 2022. Considering the plentiful availability of solar insolation both in terms of duration and intensity in India (5.3-7.0 kWh m-2day-1) and particularly in arid parts of India i.e. in Rajasthan, solar irradiations are available in abundance for almost 300 days clear sky. The average irradiance on horizontal surface in arid Rajasthan is 5.6 kWh m-2 day- 1, which can be harnessed to fulfill a part of energy needs of rural communities. Agri-voltaic system, which is an integration of PV generation and crop production, has the potential to achieve the above said two targets by 2022. Agri-voltaic system produces food and also generates renewable energy from a single land unit. The concept of integrating both food production and energy generation on a single land unit has been evolved in recent times due to ever increasing demands for the land resources. Production of food occurs by conversion of solar energy to food through photosynthetic process whereas PV based energy generation occurs through conversion of solar energy to electric energy through photovoltaic process. Both these processes require land as a basic natural resource. Therefore, competition for land may arise in future for agricultural use and PV based electricity generation. There is possibility that solar PV based electricity production will be preferred over agriculture because of its higher efficiency of converting solar energy. Agri-voltaic system provides opportunity to generate electricity from farmers’ field and thus can increase farmers’ income.

Contains novel data

Topics

Microclimatology

Air temperature

Reviews/Informational

Agrivoltaic Activity: Crop Production

Author: S. Poonia

Conference: Compendium of Lectures; India; 2021/03/08

Published

National Agricultural Higher Education Project, 2021

DOI: Not Provided
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Online: Internet link for Agri-voltaic System: PV Based Generation and Cultivation of Cash Crops

Citation

S. Poonia. 2021. Agri-voltaic System: PV Based Generation and Cultivation of Cash Crops. In: Renewable Energy for Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Protection. Compendium of Lectures; 2021/03/08; India. India: National Agricultural Higher Education Project; p. 32-42