DRE-Solarising India’s Agriculture

India's agricultural success hinges on a reliable water supply, a challenge considering its dependence on unpredictable monsoons. Solutions have emerged in the form of tubewells and diesel water pumps. However, traditional pumps, powered by the erratic grid or expensive diesel generators, leave farmers vulnerable to delays and economic stress. 

This is where solar water pumps have stepped in as a solution.These pumps utilise photovoltaic technology, converting sunlight into clean electricity to power pumps that draw water from underground or surface sources. This not only eliminates reliance on the unreliable grid and polluting diesel generators, but also offers a multitude of benefits: solar power is a clean and sustainable alternative, and the water pumps it runs provide a consistent supply of water throughout the day, and ensure that farmers are no longer burdened by expensive diesel fuel or ongoing maintenance costs associated with conventional pumps. 

But there are challenges. The PM KUSUM scheme, launched in 2019 with aim of promoting solar irrigation, has only achieved 30 per cent of its targeted installations. Bridging the gap between policy and implementation is crucial to meet the target by its March 2026 deadline. 

Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) is offering a tailor-made three-days residential training programme on ‘Solarising India’s Agriculture’. The objective is to bridge the knowledge gap and develop specific skills for enabling relevant stakeholders, entrepreneurs and plant operators/technicians to understand the challenges, techno-economic feasibility, and financial viability of setting up solar water pumping systems, and pave the way for more prosperous and environmentally conscious agricultural practices. 

What will this training cover?

• Impacts of solarising irrigation in agriculture
• How to determine water requirements and energy needs of irrigation systems
• Components of solar water pumping systems
• How to conduct a solar PV energy resource assessment
• Landscape of support schemes, including PM KUSUM
• Regulations and how to avail the scheme/s
• The economic benefits, both for government and farmers
• Implementation hurdles
• Agricultural subsidies, focusing on electricity subsidies for agriculture in India
• Applications of the scheme alongside other DRE systems
• Site visit to a farm for demonstration of solar water pumps

Note: Registration is not a guarantee of acceptance of admission in the training programme. Limited seats available (a maximum of up to 40).

COURSE COORDINATOR

Vaani Khanna
Research Associate, Renewable Energy Unit, CSE
Mobile: +91 9910104637
Email: vaani.cse@gmail.com