Implementing Solar Irrigation Sustainably

This annex provides case studies from Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh on implementing solar irrigation. It highlights the challenges of groundwater depletion and the financial barriers for farmers under the PM-KUSUM scheme. Key successes include Rajasthan's targeting of smallholders, Gujarat's innovative solar cooperatives and 'WatchDog Transformers' for grid management, and Andhra Pradesh's large-scale deployment of standalone pumps and BLDC pilots.

• In Rajasthan, the Solar Pumping Programme launched in 2011 by the Rajasthan Horticulture Development Society (RHDS) required farmers to install drip irrigation and create water storage mechanisms (diggis) to be eligible for standalone solar pumps. This scheme provided an initial subsidy of 86% and has resulted in the installation of 45,000 solar pumps.
• Rajasthan faces severe water scarcity, with only 1% of India's surface water resources. Groundwater depletion is critical, with 185 out of 295 groundwater development blocks classified as overexploited as of 2017.
• The Suryashakti Kisan Yojana (SKY) scheme in Gujarat, launched in 2018, aimed to provide daytime power and allow farmers to sell surplus energy. It required a minimum of 70% of farmers on a specific feeder to agree to join. Before its discontinuation, it installed 97 MW of capacity across 91 feeders, benefiting 4,200 farmers.
• Gujarat implemented a pioneering solar irrigation cooperative model in Dhundi village in 2015. Six farmers formed a micro-grid with a total capacity of 56.4 kWp, selling electricity to the grid via a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with a total tariff of approximately INR 7/kWh, including bonuses for green energy and water conservation.
• Gujarat's SKY scheme utilized 'WatchDog Transformers' to prevent 'free riders' by limiting 3-phase power supply to non-participating agriculture consumers to 8 hours, while maintaining single-phase power for residential use.
• Andhra Pradesh's Solar PV Water Pumping Programme, implemented by NREDCAP, installed 34,045 standalone solar pumps, the second highest number in India. The program targeted areas with poor or absent grid connectivity.
• A pilot project in Andhra Pradesh using grid-connected Brushless Direct Current (BLDC) pumps in the Savaravilli feeder showed that 30–40% of generated solar power was injected into the grid, providing farmers with additional annual income of INR 3,000–6,000.
• In Andhra Pradesh, the state government is planning to build 10 GW of grid-scale solar capacity for agricultural power supply to avoid the time-consuming outreach required for individual pump schemes.
• Across the case studies, the 40% capital cost contribution required from farmers under the PM-KUSUM scheme is identified as a significant financial barrier, particularly in states with a political economy of free power supply like Andhra Pradesh.
• The use of digital registration and transparent application processes in Rajasthan has helped prioritize low-income and marginal farmers for solar pump access, with these groups now making up 60–72% of beneficiaries.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (2021). Implementing Solar Irrigation Sustainably. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-01/implementing-solar-irrigation-sustainably-annex.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Implementing Solar Irrigation Sustainably. 2021. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-01/implementing-solar-irrigation-sustainably-annex.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Implementing Solar Irrigation Sustainably |date=2021 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-01/implementing-solar-irrigation-sustainably-annex.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopment2021implementing, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Implementing Solar Irrigation Sustainably}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2021}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-01/implementing-solar-irrigation-sustainably-annex.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }