Beyond Irrigation: Harnessing the untapped potential of solar pumps

This report evaluates a pilot project by Oorja Development Solutions in Uttar Pradesh, India, which integrated solar-powered grain milling as a secondary use for solar irrigation pumps (SIPs). The study finds that utilizing idle solar capacity for milling reduces household costs, improves food freshness through smaller-batch processing, and enhances mobility and autonomy for women. However, sustained adoption is hindered by operational bottlenecks, such as operator unavailability and inconsistent grinding quality.

• Solar-powered milling is a viable secondary use for solar irrigation pumps, with primary adoption among treatment households increasing from 19% at the midline survey to 26% by the endline survey.
• Proximity to the mill significantly improves access; Oorja primary users travelled an average of 0.57 km at endline, compared to 1.08 km for those using diesel or electric mills.
• Solar mills provide a cost advantage over conventional options; Oorja primary users spent approximately INR 49.78 per month on wheat milling at endline, while diesel/electric users spent INR 70.90.
• The availability of local, affordable milling shifted household behaviour from bulk processing to smaller, more frequent batches, which reduces spoilage and encourages the processing of diverse crops like coriander, turmeric, and maize.
• While quantitative data showed minimal shifts in formal decision-making (women were primary responsible for milling in 2% of households at both midline and endline), qualitative evidence indicates increased autonomy and mobility for women, girls, and elderly women due to the mills' central location.
• Operational reliability is a primary barrier to sustained use, with the most cited reasons for not using solar mills being operator unavailability, delays, and concerns over grinding quality (such as flour burning or coarseness).
• Flexible payment options, such as short-term credit or payment deferrals, serve as a critical support mechanism for financially constrained households who cannot pay upfront.

APA

Agarwal, S., VM, H., Mani, S., Laan, T., & Saxena, A. (2026). Beyond Irrigation: Harnessing the untapped potential of solar pumps. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-02/beyond-irrigation-solar-pumps-india.pdf

Chicago

Agarwal, Sejal, Hridya VM, Sunil Mani, Tara Laan, and Abhinav Saxena. Beyond Irrigation: Harnessing the untapped potential of solar pumps. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2026. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-02/beyond-irrigation-solar-pumps-india.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Agarwal |first1=Sejal |last2=VM |first2=Hridya |last3=Mani |first3=Sunil |last4=Laan |first4=Tara |last5=Saxena |first5=Abhinav |title=Beyond Irrigation: Harnessing the untapped potential of solar pumps |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=February 2026 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-02/beyond-irrigation-solar-pumps-india.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{agarwal2026beyond, author = {Agarwal, Sejal and VM, Hridya and Mani, Sunil and Laan, Tara and Saxena, Abhinav}, title = {{Beyond Irrigation: Harnessing the untapped potential of solar pumps}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2026}, month = feb, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-02/beyond-irrigation-solar-pumps-india.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }