Agri-voltaic system: Crop production and photovoltaic-based electricity generation from a single land unit. Indian Farming 68(01), 20-23.

Abstract

Generation of renewable energy has currently gained more importance in India than ever before. Photovoltaic (PV)-based electricity generation shares a major portion of renewable energy generation in India. PV-based electricity generation requires land at a rate of about 2 ha per megawatt (MW) of installation. Since both food and energy are required for human population, a concept of integrating PV-based electricity generation and crop production from a single land unit, commonly referred to as agri-voltaic system, has been designed and developed with a capacity of 105 kW at the Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur. Rainwater harvesting system from top surface of PV-module has also been designed and developed with an estimated annual rainwater harvest of 1.5 lakh litres from 105 kW system. The harvested water is enough to provide supplemental irrigation of about 37.5 mm in 1 acre (0.404 ha) land. Suitable crops for agri-voltaic include mungbean (Vigna radiata), mothbean (Vigna aconitifolia), cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba), isabgol (Plantago ovata), cumin (Cuminum cyminum), Aloe vera etc.