SOLAR ENERGY IN AGRICULTURE

India has set a target to increase the country’s share of non-fossil-based installed electric capacity to 40% by 2030.

Solar power is one of the most versatile forms of energy, with boundless potential, if tapped wisely. Solar Energy can be a game changer for the Agricultural Sector in India, saving precious water resources, reducing dependency on the grid, and even becoming an additional revenue stream for farmers.

RENEWABLE ENERGY:

Renewable energy is energy that is collected from renewable resources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale. It includes sources such as sunlight, wind, the movement of water, and geothermal heat. Although most renewable energy sources are sustainable, some are not. For example, some biomass sources are considered unsustainable at current rates of exploitation. Renewable energy often provides energy for electricity generation to a grid, air and water heating/cooling, and stand-alone power systems.

Solar energy can easily fulfil energy provision and supply at agriculture farms. Various solar energy absorbing devices and systems have been developed and are in the works for agricultural applications. This includes:

• Solar Pumping System: It is quite helpful to operate the already burdened irrigation system in India.

  • Specifically, solar pumps can be useful as water lifting devices in irrigation canals and also to evenly distribute water in those areas where traditional water systems could not have access, such as in the elevated hilly lands.

• Solar Crop Drying: Different types of solar dryers are available for various applications, which can be used for drying of agricultural products like potatoes, grains, carrots and mushrooms.

• Most pesticide spraying activity is done in the daytime, so these spray machines could be used by directly capturing solar energy, which prevents the installation of batteries in these machines.

• Usually, tractors consume oil to run and work, which increases the budget of farming and also causes the pollution in the atmosphere by producing carbon dioxide during combustion.

  • Solar powered tractors became a good option which could work directly under the sun by consuming solar energy in daytime and also could continue working in night time with the help of energy stored in batteries.

STAND AGAINST INDIA'S AGRICULTURE SECTOR BY SOLAR POWER :

• Export Driven Market: Manufacturers are mostly focused on export markets that buy Solar cells and modules at higher prices thereby increasing their profits.

  • Many new suppliers have tie-ups with foreign players in Europe and the United States, thereby prioritizing export demand. This could result in reduced supplies for the fast-growing local market in India.

  • Solar waste is the electronic waste generated by discarded solar panels. It can increase by at least four-five-fold by the next decade.

Commercial Viability and Utility: The solar energy production technique is yet to be improvised in to make it commercially viable in India.

• Topographically or climatically also, sun rays are uniformly not available at any particular place throughout the year.

• Besides, people, especially farmers in general are yet to be educated and convinced about its uses and utilities.

  • Agriculture in Line with Solar Production: There should be a combined agricultural use of land with the production of electric energy by solar energy.

  • It provides solutions for the production of food crops and, at the same time, electricity generation under consideration of soil protection and water savings.

    • This can increase the sustainability of food, water, energy, and climate at the same time meeting the various Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.