At a 9 September 2026 curtain-raiser in New Delhi, India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy said the next phase of PM-KUSUM will carry a dedicated agrivoltaics component. The ministry described the approach as enabling farmers to continue farming while also earning from electricity.
The announcement highlighted small and marginal farmers, Farmer Producer Organisations, cooperatives and panchayats, while saying that land ownership should remain with farmers. The 7th Agrivoltaics World Conference 2026 is scheduled for 21–23 October at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
For solar-water applications, agrivoltaics raises design questions beyond panel yield: crop access, clearance for farm machinery, irrigation layout, shading, drainage, safety, land-use evidence and operating responsibility. These questions should be resolved with local agronomic and water data before equipment is selected.
FAQ
Does the announcement create an available subsidy today?
No. It describes a policy direction and an announced future component. Eligibility, funding and technical rules require the relevant programme documents.
Can agrivoltaics automatically improve irrigation economics?
Not automatically. The result depends on crop, structure, water demand, land constraints, electricity arrangements, maintenance and the cost of civil and electrical work.
