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India Eyes Solar Shift for Farms
19 Sep
Summary
- PM-KUSUM expansion proposes ₹51,000 crore investment for solar power.
- Subsidies will shift to project commissioning, focusing on feeder solarization.
- New phase includes agriphotovoltaics, solar pumps, and battery storage.
The Indian government is poised to consider a proposal worth around ₹51,000 crore to extend the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme. This expansion focuses on shifting subsidies to project commissioning and increasing the push for feeder-level solarization and battery storage to lessen agriculture's dependence on conventional grid power.
The proposed phase includes an allocation of ₹35,000 crore for new projects, aiming to fund 10 gigawatts of agriphotovoltaic installations, solar pumps, and battery energy storage systems (BESS). An additional ₹16,000 crore is earmarked for existing liabilities. Component C, focusing on agricultural feeder solarization, will now install centralized solar plants to supply entire feeders, rather than individual pumps.
This strategic move comes as agriculture constitutes about 18-19% of India's electricity consumption. By decentralizing solar generation, the scheme seeks to alleviate pressure on the national grid. Experts highlight the growing importance of storage solutions, with a dedicated ₹4,500 crore allocation for BESS, which can integrate with solar power generation for use during non-solar hours.
