Learnings for Tamil Nadu From Grid-Connected Agricultural Solar Photovoltaic Schemes in India

The paper examines three state-level solar irrigation schemes in India to identify lessons for Tamil Nadu's implementation of PM KUSUM Component C. It highlights challenges in farmer financing, trust in solar technology, and the impact of feed-in tariffs on water conservation, while recommending robust monitoring and adequate tariff assessments.

• The agricultural sector accounts for 18% of India's electricity consumption, which is fully or partially subsidized, creating a financial burden for distribution companies (discoms) due to low cost recovery and delayed government payments.
• Across Gujarat, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, raising financial contributions from farmers proved difficult, resulting in the state governments absorbing these costs.
• Farmer adoption was hindered by political sensitivities regarding the metering of irrigation pumpsets and a lack of confidence in solar technology following previous failures of off-grid solar PV pumpsets.
• In Karnataka's Harobele region, the feed-in tariff (FiT) failed to incentivize changes in water extraction patterns because the region lacks groundwater scarcity and is part of a high-value, water-intensive sericulture belt.
• The paper recommends that Tamil Nadu ensure the adequacy of feed-in tariffs, collaborate with local populations to prevent water-inefficient agriculture, and establish a robust monitoring and evaluation framework.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Learnings for Tamil Nadu From Grid-Connected Agricultural Solar Photovoltaic Schemes in India. https://www.wri.org/research/learnings-tamil-nadu-grid-connected-agricultural-solar-photovoltaic-schemes-india

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Learnings for Tamil Nadu From Grid-Connected Agricultural Solar Photovoltaic Schemes in India. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/learnings-tamil-nadu-grid-connected-agricultural-solar-photovoltaic-schemes-india.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Learnings for Tamil Nadu From Grid-Connected Agricultural Solar Photovoltaic Schemes in India |url=https://www.wri.org/research/learnings-tamil-nadu-grid-connected-agricultural-solar-photovoltaic-schemes-india |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendlearnings, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Learnings for Tamil Nadu From Grid-Connected Agricultural Solar Photovoltaic Schemes in India}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/learnings-tamil-nadu-grid-connected-agricultural-solar-photovoltaic-schemes-india}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }