Transform Rural India, a non-profit organisation, has launched an agri-voltaics project to help farmers generate solar energy while continuing to grow crops on the same land, particularly in Jharkhand.
“We have done more than 800 community-managed systems for irrigation. There are more than 100 villages with a community-managed solar structure. There are 140 community-managed microgrids,” Ashok Kumar, Director - Farm Prosperity, Transform Rural India (TRI).
With TRI’s guidance, farmers set up a microgrid and rent it out. Below the grid, the cultivate crops, while the power generated from the grid helps them to “energise” their farms and get a double income.
Low 1-time investment
For example, in Uttar Pradesh, where TRI also works,a 43-kilowatt system has been set up and is connected to 10 pumps. It irrigates 100 acres and benefits 160 farmers.
“The one-time investment is less than ₹50,000 per household. Their carbon footprint is low. Earlier, they were using diesel. They spend ₹100 per litre on diesel and an additional ₹200 per hour on pumps if they don’t have one. The per-acre costs come to about ₹6,000-7,000. The solar grid has reduced the cost to less than ₹2,000 per hour,” said Kumar.
The project has now encouraged them to go for drip irrigation and mulching as part of their efforts to save water. It has helped them in efficient use of irrigation, said the director of TRI, a development design organisation which is working on transforming India’s bottom 1,00,000 villages into flourishing localities.
Exposure visit
In Jharkhand, where the project is more focused, the organisation goes about identifying villages that are not served by power grid connections. TRI staff go to these villages and talk to the locals or women’s self-help groups.
“We take them for an exposure where such grids are installed. For the first one, set up in 2020, we took 20 farmers to Dharamvadi, near Pune, in Maharashtra. They spent a night in the village and understood what was happening,” said Kumar.
On return, the farmers held a meeting in the village and then sought the help of TRI, which sought funding from Tata Capital via corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes.
“So, this was the first decision from the demand side, not the supply side,” said the TRI director. Once the farmers decide to set up a grid, the next task is to find the right location as per the criteria stipulated by the organisation. They will have to offer three options so that the best can be selected.
VCE’s key role
After that, a village energy committee (VCE) is formed with at least 50 per cent women representatives. The size of the VCE could be between 7 and 11. The VCE enters into an agreement with the land owner to decide on the terms of trade and tariff.
There could be no tariffs sometimes, and some could seek ₹5,000 a year. It is the VCE that decides on the tariff. “It is the community that decides and not any expert,” said Kumar. The village people also chip in with voluntary service, such as lifting heavy equipment or battery banks or cement poles in hilly areas, as vehicles cannot carry them in those remote areas.
The VCE handles applications for power connections from the people, decides on the tariff and opens a bank account for credits of tariff payments and debits of expenses such as changing batteries or carrying out other maintenance works.
TRI also takes the help of firms such as Gramurja, which has expertise in rural energy with highly trained engineers. The firm is engaged in repairs and maintenance.
Overall improvement
Kumar said energy supply improves the livelihood, brings feel good factor and a sense of dignity to the village. It helps improve the children’s education, and it provides safety.
The TRI director says the grids are designed to meet future needs for the next 5-10 years. The energy generated goes mainly for economic purposes such as irrigation, rice hullers and flour mills. “The Agrivoltaics project has enabled the setting up of such units in every village. Earlier, they had to travel 15 km,” he said.
Kumar said TRI does upstream and downstream linkages for the communities, such as identifying potential places, looking for investors, and working with governments.
The project has helped more than 20,000 farmers in Jharkand. Besides, TRI has launched the project in Uttar Pradesh, a region bordering Nepal, where 100 acres are irrigated.
Published on April 14, 2026