lCAR Winter School on Solar photovoltaic and thermal applications for energy-water-food security in agriculture

Abstract

Agriculture sector consumes about 7-8% of total energy consumption of India. Pumping of irrigation water, use of heavy machineries for different farm operations, processing and value addition of farm produces etc. are major activities by which energy is consumed in agriculture sector. With the advancement of food production system from agrarian to a futuristic technology-driven system, there has been rapid increase in energy use in agriculture. It has been expected that energy use in agriculture in Indian needs to be increased from its present value 1.6 kW ha-1 to 2.5 kW ha-1 to meet the production target of next 20 years. In this context, we need to harness and use more renewable forms of energy, especially solar energy that is plentiful on most part of the country. Agriculture sector has great scope in meeting the solar energy installation targets at different parts of the world. This can be achieved through major two ways. First is the replacement of fossil fuel based farm operations with solar energy based devices and implements. Second is the contribution in renewable energy generation from agriculture sector. The first approach includes replacing diesel operated or grid-tied electric pumps with solar PV pumping system, use of solar devices for processing and value addition of foods, increasing use of solar PV driven tools and implements etc. The second approach is through contribution in renewable energy generation may be achieved through either cogeneration of food and energy using agri-voltaic and solar-wind hybrid system or utilizing biomass and agro-wastes for energy generation.