India’s agro-voltaic capacity expected to be more than 5 gigawatts in next 3-4 years, says MNRE minister

MNRE Secretary Santosh Sarangi. File | Photo credit: The Hindu

India’s agro-voltaic capacity could expand to more than 5 gigawatts in the next three to four years, assuming enthusiasm from states and their ability to announce feed-in tariffs, Santosh Kumar Sarangi, secretary of the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), told reporters at a briefing ahead of the 7th World Agriculture Conference on 21-23. October in New Delhi.

“It is difficult to estimate, but in the next 3-4 years it should be more than 5 gigawatts. It depends on the enthusiasm of the state, the ability to announce the buyback price quickly,” said Mr. Sarangi.

Agrovoltaics means the use of agricultural land for its primary purpose and the production of solar photovoltaic energy.

“Once (states) are ready with feed-in tariffs. It would give farmer-producer organizations and cooperatives certainty in making investment decisions. If states act quickly, then 5 gigawatts plus should not be a problem,” he explained.

Mr. Sarangi added that the ministry has also seen enthusiasm from state governments.

He also told reporters that several states, including Odisha, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, have conducted their own agro-voltaic pilot projects.

The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy further planned a scheme to support states.

“We are planning a central sector scheme to support this (agrovoltaics). We will probably make it part of one of our existing schemes once those schemes are revised,” he said, “We are working with the finance ministry on how that could be done and how states could be incentivized to implement different kinds of agrovoltaic models.”

Published – 19 Oct 2026 20:27 IST