Agri-voltaic System: A Sustainable Approach for Enhancing Farm Income in Arid Western Regions of India

Abstract

The concept of integrating both food production and energy generation through agrivoltaic system (AVS) has been evolved in recent times considering the increasing demands for the land resources and energy, especially electricity. At ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur, India, an AVS of 105 kW capacity has been established with three experimental designs in three separate blocks. In all these three blocks, two different designs were followed: few arrays with gap in between PV modules and few arrays covered fully with PV module which allows receiving different amount of intercepted solar irradiation on ground surface, which is required for crop cultivation in between PV arrays and also below PV panel areas. For cultivation in areas below PV modules, aromatic grasses viz. Cymbopogon citratus (lemon grass) and Cymbopogon martini (palmarosa) were grown. Apart from different arable crops, medicinal plant, e.g. Aloe vera and vegetables Solanum melongena (brinjal), Spinacia oleracea (spinach) and snapmelon (Cucumis melo L. Momordica group) were grown.