Science TechnologySunday, 23 August 2026·The Hindu - National
Rajasthan’s first farmer-owned agrivoltaics pilot shows how 600 kW solar can coexist with maize cultivation
A 600 kW farmer-owned agrivoltaics pilot in Rajasthan demonstrates dual use of land for crops and solar power.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In 2026, Kojadmal Jat’s 600 kW farmer-owned agrivoltaics (APV) pilot in Kundanpura village, Bassi block, east of Jaipur in Rajasthan, is using nearly 3 acres to grow maize under elevated solar panels while feeding electricity to a local grid.
Key specifics
- APV, also called agrivoltaics or agriPV, combines agriculture and solar power generation on the same land.
- The Rajasthan pilot is spread across nearly 3 acres, about twice the size of a cricket ground.
- The 600 kW installation can provide daytime irrigation power for around 250 farms.
- APV can raise annual returns to roughly ₹3 lakh to ₹4 lakh per acre, but elevated structures add nearly ₹35 lakh over a conventional solar installation.
- India ranked 102nd out of 123 countries in the 2025 Global Hunger Index, making food-security concerns relevant to land-use decisions.
Exam lens
Question type: Science & technology plus agriculture-energy linkage, key facts: 600 kW, 3 acres, 250 farms, ₹3 lakh-₹4 lakh per acre, 2025 Global Hunger Index rank 102/123. TNPSC one-liner: agrivoltaics is a dual-use model that allows crops and solar power to coexist on the same farmland.