AgriVoltaics World Conference 2026:
The 7th AgriVoltaics World Conference (AWC) 2026 was held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, under the theme “Powering the Global South.” It marked the first time the conference was hosted in the Global South. India hosted the conference for the first time in the Global South.
- Agrivoltaics refers to the dual use of land for agriculture and solar photovoltaic energy generation, allowing farming and electricity production to coexist.
- Hosted by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), with support from Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUV), in partnership with Conexio-PSE.
- It aims to increase farmers’ incomes, improve land-use efficiency, promote clean energy and build climate-resilient agricultural systems.
- The AgriVoltaics Pitch Hub provided a platform for startups to showcase technologies and connect with investors and industry leaders.
- These included the India Agrivoltaics Alliance’s Decision-Making Tool, the International Water Management Institute’s Book of Abstracts, and MNRE’s AgriPV Policy Handbook.
- The initiative promotes farmers’ transition from traditional food producers (Annadatas) to clean-energy producers (Urjadatas), creating additional rural income opportunities.
- The Government announced plans to introduce a major agrivoltaics programme under the next phase of PM-KUSUM, enabling farmers to generate solar electricity while continuing agricultural cultivation.
- India’s estimated agrivoltaic potential ranges from 3,000 GW to nearly 14,000 GW, with Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh identified as high-potential states.
