Agrivoltaics: The Knowledge Cohort
South Asia, with its diverse agricultural practices and climatic conditions, stands at a unique crossroads. This region, home to nearly a quarter of the world’s population, faces twin challenges of ensuring food security and meeting the rising energy demands of a growing population. Agrivoltaics offer a pathway to address these challenges synergistically.
This innovative approach not only promises to enhance agricultural productivity, but also contributes significantly to the regional renewable energy goals and energy security. By enabling dual land use, we can maximize the utility of precious resources, and foster a more resilient and sustainable future for all.
Bringing this approach to the forefront, USAID’s South Asia Regional Energy Partnership (SAREP) program and the South Asia Group for Energy (SAGE), organized a three-part webinar series on Agrivoltaics: The Knowledge Cohort, held on July 23, July 30, and August 6, 2024, that delved into the potential of agrivoltaics as a means of driving agricultural innovation and making agriculture more sustainable.
Session 1: Understanding Agrivoltaics (July 23, 2024)
The introductory session laid the groundwork by providing an overview of the history and fundamentals of agrivoltaics. Monali Zeya Hazra, Regional Energy & Clean Energy Specialist, USAID/India, highlighted the unique opportunities for agrivoltaics in South Asia. Dr. Kate Doubleday, Model Engineer and Agrivolataics Researcher, outlined the diverse applications of agrivoltaics at various regional levels, highlighting its global potential and environmental benefits. Overall, 242 stakeholders attended this session.
Session II: Collaborative Success in Agrivoltaics (July 30, 2024)
The second session, drawing 209 participants, focused on the crucial aspects of community engagement, collaboration strategies, financing models, and capacity building. USAID/India’s Monali Hazra reiterated the need for integrating solar power and agriculture on the same land. Dr Arun Kumar Tripathi, Scientist G/Advisor to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India, stressed the importance of capacity building and precise design in agrivoltaic implementation, recognizing the unique needs of different crops. Jordan Macknick, Energy Engineer and Environmental Analyst, underscored the necessity of collaboration and partnerships for successful agrivoltaics initiatives. Finally, Manish Khare, Co-Founder of Khare Energy, summarized an in-depth discussion on the pilot AgriPV case study from India and importance of PM KUSUM Schemes in India to enhance agrivoltaics project.
Session III: Implementing Agrivoltaics (August 6, 2024)
The final session, attended by 188 participants from around the globe, focused on the practical steps for developing and deploying agrivoltaic systems. Brittany Staie, an Agrivoltaics and Food-Water-Energy Nexus Researcher, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), began by emphasizing the importance of farm assessment and crop selection in planning for agrivoltaic projects. She also discussed the environmental impact of agrivoltaics on farming and showcased examples of successful agrivoltaics projects. Brian Mirletz, Energy Analyst and Software Engineer, NREL, then took the stage, outlining the technical parameters required for developing an agrivoltaics project. He concluded by identifying the various risks in deployment of agrivoltaic projects and what can be the possible mitigation measures.
The webinar encapsulated the following key takeaways:
- Agrivoltaics – a practice that combines solar panels with agricultural activities – optimizes land use and offers numerous benefits.
- The webinar series provided in-depth knowledge and practical guidance for implementing agrivoltaic projects.
- Speakers emphasized the potential of agrivoltaics to address pressing issues like food security, energy demands, land scarcity, and environmental challenges in South Asia.
- The series fostered a collaborative environment for knowledge sharing among diverse stakeholders who can enable progress in the agrivoltaics space.
- The Agrivoltaics Knowledge Cohort Webinar Series successfully brought together experts and participants to explore the future of sustainable agriculture through the lens of agrivoltaics. The event underscored the critical role of integrating solar energy with farming to create resilient and sustainable agricultural practices in South Asia.
